Dual national Palestinian charged in terror plot

Indictment: Israeli citizen who lives in W. Bank refugee camp was in terror cell that planned shooting attacks against IDF.

By YONAH JEREMY BOB, JPOST.COM STAFF
Islamic Jihad operatives 370 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Islamic Jihad operatives 370
(photo credit: REUTERS)
The Central District Attorney’s Office filed an indictment on Monday in the Kfar Saba Magistrate’s Court against an Israeli citizen for planning to carry out terror attacks in Israel with Islamic Jihad.
The suspect, 22-year-old Amir Eyan, who resides in the Nur al-Shams refugee camp near Tulkarm, contacted Islamic Jihad operative Mahdi Sheikh Yusef in December following Operation Pillar of Defense and discussed the possibility of obtaining weapons to carry out attacks against Jews, according to the indictment.
Eyan, the Islamic Jihad operative, and a third Palestinian, Ahmad Abu Zohara, formed a terror cell in January, the indictment added.
The cell allegedly planned on producing weapons and explosive devices and sought to obtain guns to carry out shooting attacks against Israeli military targets.
The cell was arrested after a Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) probe into their activities, which found that the men planned to buy a lathe machine worth NIS 70,000 to make weapons.
Eyan was charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and participation in an illegal organization. He was remanded by the court to police custody until at least February 27 and the state is seeking his remand until the end of the proceedings.
His two partners in the cell, since they are non-citizens, will be investigated and potentially indicted by the military advocate-general in the Judea Military Court.