Terrorism charges were filed on Monday against a Palestinian man who allegedly stabbed a coworker at a garage in the central Israeli city of Petach Tikvah.
Muhammad Bassiouni, 35, is accused of attempted murder in the Aug. 10 incident that was initially thought to involve a workplace dispute with an Israeli employee but was later determined to be nationalistically motivated.
The Palestinian, from the Nablus (Shechem) area in Samaria, was at first mistakenly identified as a Jordanian citizen. According to the indictment, Bassiouni had proper work permits and was staying in Petach Tikvah most of the time.
“At some point, he decided to kill the son of one of the garage owners, who worked with him at the place,” the indictment, filed at the Central District Court in Lod, reads.
He allegedly attacked his coworker with a kitchen knife while shouting “Allahu Akbar,” an Islamic phrase that is often employed by terrorists.
The victim was taken to Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikvah in serious condition.
Bassiouni is charged with attempted murder with a terror motive, aggravated assault with a terror motive and obstruction of justice.
