Two Israeli Arab men from Nazareth are accused of contacting Islamic State group operatives in Syria and of planning to carry out a series of shooting attacks against Israeli security forces. Bahaa al-Din Masarwa, 20, and Ahmed Ahmed, 22, were indicted in a Nazareth court on charges of contacting enemy agents during wartime, contacting a foreign agent, and supporting a terrorist organization. Masarwa was arrested six weeks ago and Ahmed was arrested three weeks ago. The case was investigated jointly by the Northern District Police, under Commander Moshe Cohen, and the Shin Bet security agency. The indictment, filed by attorney Amos Danieli of the Northern District Prosecutor's Office, stated that the men supported Islamic State, followed its actions online, and contacted its operatives in Syria. Masarwa's aunt, a Shfar'am resident, was arrested in Turkey a few months ago after trying to illegally cross the border into Syria to join Islamic State. She is apparently responsible for connecting the two men with Islamic State agents in Syria. After his arrest, Masarwa admitted to supporting Islamic State and said the planned shooting attacks would have taken place at the Jalame checkpoint in Gilboa, in the northern Israeli city of Afula, and at the Lions' Gate in Jerusalem. The two men had planned to purchase a gun for 10,000 shekels ($2,570), and at the time of their arrest, had saved up 8,800 shekels ($2,260) for that purpose. Meanwhile, a Gaza man who has been living in Ukraine since 2010, Sami Habib, has been accused of planning attacks against Israelis both in Israel and in Ukraine. According to his indictment, filed by the Southern District Prosecutor's Office, one of Habib's plans was to use a Ukrainian female decoy to lure a senior IDF officer to Taba, Egypt, where he would then be kidnapped and taken to Gaza. Habib was charged with contacting enemy agents and espionage, among other things.
Court: Nazareth men planned ISIS-style shooting attacks on Israelis
Two Nazareth men accused of planning attacks on security forces at the Jalama checkpoint in Gilboa, in Afula and at the Lions' Gate in Jerusalem • Gaza man accused of planning to lure IDF officer with Ukrainian female decoy, among other plots.
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