Two Israeli-Arabs indicted for planning terror attacks for ISIS in Israel, abroad

Defendants are 24 and 48-years-old.

By YONAH JEREMY BOB
Updated: MARCH 10, 2016 00:25
Footage of ISIS advance in Deir al-Zor (photo credit: screenshot)
Footage of ISIS advance in Deir al-Zor
(photo credit: screenshot)
Two Israeli-Arabs were indicted in the Lod District Court on Wednesday for planning terrorist attacks for Islamic State in Israel and abroad.
In the indictment filed by the Central District Attorney’s Office, the two defendants, ages 24 and 48, whose names are still under gag order for reasons the Justice Ministry did not explain, were charged with conspiracy to commit a felony, contact with and providing information to a foreign agent, membership in an illegal organization and other crimes.
The first defendant, 24, although an Israeli citizen, had lived outside of the country since 2006. According to the indictment, from the start of 2015, he began to identify on Facebook with ISIS and terrorist attacks, including the one on Dizengoff in Tel Aviv.
Also last year, he started communicating through Facebook with a relative referred to as “Makdasi” about joining Islamic State.
Eventually, the defendant and Makdasi met up in Turkey where he helped Makdasi cross into Syria to join and fight with the terrorist organization.
Later, the two were in touch about the defendant carrying out terrorist attacks abroad against Jews, Shi’ites and American and British tourists.
Makdasi sent the defendant specifications for manufacturing bombs, was in the process of coordinating Islamic State financing for the attacks, and the defendant even selected a particular Mosque and other specific major tourist sites to bee attacked.
Before the plans could be carried out, however, he was arrested abroad by local police on February 11 and handed over to Israeli security forces at Ben-Gurion Airport on February 17.
The second defendant, 48, an Israeli-Arab identified as being from central Israel, was in touch with Makdasi in November when Makdasi tried to convince him to come to Syria to join Islamic State.
Although the second defendant initially was not inclined to go, by early February he told Makdasi that he would carry out terrorist attacks in Israel and then come to join him and Islamic State in Syria.
Before the plans could be carried out, however, he was arrested in Kalkilya on February 14.