13 Arabs arrested: A cell that planned to carry out terrorist attacks was exposed

March 10, 2024   

In a joint operation by the General Security Service and the Central Unit of the Northern District of the Police, a terrorist organization of Arab-Israelis in the northern region was exposed, which intended to carry out terrorist attacks in Israel. What, won't you join in to protect your home? This is the way to volunteer now As part of the investigation, a number of suspects in the organization were arrested in recent months: the head of the cell, his deputy, and 11 other suspects - most of them residents of Sakhnin, including Akram Khalaila, Muhammad Musa Abu Saleh, Ali Khalaila, Muhammad Shohana, and Muhammad Ayush. In addition, a suspected arms dealer, a resident of Judea and Samaria, Zuheib Jalbush, was arrested. Four weapons were found as part of the investigation, as well as ammunition and vests, which were intended to be used by the cell to carry out the attacks. The investigation revealed that the members of the cell - Muhammad Khaled and Muhammad Yusuf - recruited additional members from Sakhnin, in order to promote the execution of attacks throughout Israel, and to that end, they purchased weapons and ammunition originating from the Palestinian Authority territories. One of the suspects, Muhammad Khalaila, was in contact with the Hamas infrastructure from the Gaza Strip, which provided him with instructions for preparing explosives and instructed him to recruit additional members for the cell. The investigation findings showed that in addition to their activities within the framework of the terrorist organization, some of the detainees participated in throwing Molotov cocktails at the settlement of Ashbel during the terrorist events of Operation 'Guardian of the Walls'. Today (Sunday) - upon the conclusion of the investigation by the Shin Bet and the police - the Haifa District Attorney's Office will file indictments against 13 suspects and a request for their detention until the end of the proceedings. The Shin Bet notes: "This is a serious activity against the security of Israeli citizens who hatched a terrorist plan with the involvement of the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip, in a way that also has the potential to harm the normative majority in Arab society. The General Security Service and the Israel Police will continue their activities at all times to thwart terrorism and locate perpetrators who take part in activities that endanger the security of the state, including those who took part in terrorist activities during the Guardian of the Walls riots.""