Arab Israeli who glided into Syria convicted for joining Islamic State

An Arab Israeli man is convicted for entering Syria using a hang glider to join the Islamic State jihadist group.

Nidal Salah, a 26-year-old resident of the central town of Jaljulia, is sentenced to 43 months in prison by the Central District Court as part of a plea deal.

Salah is convicted on charges of contacting a foreign agent, illegally leaving the country, membership in a terror organization, sending information to an enemy and other offenses.

After gliding into Syria in October 2015, Salah was arrested and “brutally interrogated” by IS operatives, who forced him to fork over information about Israel, according to the court.

He was later released and officially joined IS, for whom he worked in a factory making surveillance and attack drones. The court said he also took part in fighting for the jihadist group and was asked to recruit more Arab Israelis to its ranks.

Salah was later taken capture by the Syrian government during a battle but was able to flee and be smuggled into Turkey this May. He returned to Israel in June on a flight from Turkey and upon landing was arrested.

The court says it agreed to a plea deal in light of Salah’s confession, expression of remorse and the “exceptional circumstances” of his captivity by IS.