Israel sentences 3 Palestinians for 2015 terror plot

Through a plea bargain, two minors one legal adult will serve prison sentences.

By YONAH JEREMY BOB
Updated: OCTOBER 31, 2016 01:22
Man in handcuffs - illustrative (photo credit: INGIMAGE / ASAP)
Man in handcuffs - illustrative
(photo credit: INGIMAGE / ASAP)
The Nazareth District Court on Sunday sentenced three Palestinians from Jenin, including two minors, to jail for conspiracy to carry out a terrorist attack in December 2015 in Afula.
As part of a plea bargain, the minors were convicted for conspiracy, obstruction of justice and entering Israel illegally. They sentenced to 25 months in prison. The adult was sentenced to 28 months.
Until the verdict was announced, the case was under a gag order due to the age of the two minor defendants.
At the start of December 2015, the three illegally crossed into Israel and arrived at Umm el-Fahm, working at various temporary jobs.
On December 8, 2015, they watched a video on social media which showed friction between Israeli soldiers and a Muslim woman in Jerusalem.
The images from this event angered them to the point that they sought to murder Jews in revenge.
On December 9, 2015, one of the minors bought three knives from a store in Umm el-Fahm, which the three would-be attackers concealed within their clothes.
They then took a bus to Afula.
When they arrived they started to look for Jewish targets to attack. Some civilians thought they looked suspicious and called the police.
When confronted, the three told the police officer that they were looking for the bus station to return to Umm el-Fahm, where they said they lived.
However, they then walked in the opposite direction from that in which they were directed and tried throwing their knives away to avoid detection. They were seen and arrested on site.