Rahat teen arrested for planning to join Islamic State in Syria

An 18-year-old man from the southern Bedouin town of Rahat was arrested last month for planning to join the Islamic State jihadist group in Syria, police announced Wednesday.

According to a statement, Bashar Alglawe “intensively consumed content identified with the terror organization and supported the organization’s ideas and goals.”

Alglawe allegedly made contact with members of Islamic State in Syria in order to fight among the group’s ranks. Police also said he sought to obtain a weapon upon his planned arrival in Syria.

He is set to be brought Thursday to the Beersheba District Court, when he is expected to be formally indicted.

“The Shin Bet security service and the Israel Police take very seriously any involvement or affiliation of Israeli citizens in terrorist activities, including the Islamic State,” the statement said.

The announcement comes amid a wave of arrests of alleged Islamic State members following two deadly terror attacks last month — in Hadera and Beersheba — by Arab Israelis thought to have been inspired by the jihadist group.

The Islamic State claimed responsibility for both attacks, but it did not appear the terrorists had been instructed by it to commit them.

Last week, Defense Minister Benny Gantz signed an order to hold an Israeli citizen suspected of being an Islamic State operative in administrative detention for four months.