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Shin Bet foils ISIS-linked bomb plot by Israeli citizens

Three residents of Ar’ara allegedly pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and planned to target Israeli forces with an explosive device.

A man holds an ISIS flag as pro-Palestinian protesters gather in Cape Town on Nov. 12, 2023. Photo by Gianluigi Guercia/AFP via Getty Images.
A man holds an ISIS flag as pro-Palestinian protesters gather in Cape Town on Nov. 12, 2023. Photo by Gianluigi Guercia/AFP via Getty Images.

The Shin Bet announced on Monday the arrest of three Israeli citizens suspected of plotting terrorist attacks against Israeli forces in cooperation with Islamic State operatives in Syria.

The suspects, all residents of Ar’ara in northern Israel, swore allegiance to ISIS and intended to carry out attacks inside Israel, police said.

A joint investigation by the Israel Police’s Coastal District and Shin Bet revealed that the three men clashed with Border Police officers in January. Following the confrontation, they allegedly established contact with a foreign agent and decided to target Jews.

Police said that the suspects received guidance from ISIS operatives in Syria on how to assemble bombs. They are also alleged to have conducted a test detonation in an open area, with the goal of creating a high-powered bomb to be used against Israeli security forces.

The investigation is ongoing.

Joshua Marks is a news editor on the Jerusalem desk at JNS.org, where he covers Jewish affairs, the Middle East and global news.
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