Israeli security services recently arrested three suspects who planned to carry out large-scale terrorist attacks targeting civilians and security forces, the Jerusalem District Attorney’s Office said on Sunday.
The men—a father, son and a third suspect, all residents of northeastern Jerusalem’s Kafr Aqab neighborhood—assembled pipe bombs and trained for a shooting attack at a nightclub, according to the Israel Police.
During a raid of the suspects’ homes, security forces found “various chemicals, containers, activation mechanisms operated by electricity or SIM cards, and various components that were allegedly intended to be turned into explosive devices,” in addition to assembled pipe bombs, police said.
The father and son worked for businesses throughout central Israel, including a restaurant and nursing home, and were reportedly not known to the country’s security establishment until their arrest.
According to Ynet, the son is a Jewish convert to Islam who had attempted to enlist in the Israel Defense Forces but was rejected for a combat position, and led the terrorist cell alongside his Muslim father.
Sources involved in the investigation told reporters that the attacks were in advanced planning stages and were thwarted at the eleventh hour by undercover police and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) officers.
The investigation revealed that the cell planned to harm an Air Force pilot, but shelved the attack when they found out that the target was in fact a civilian. They also planned to bomb a Jerusalem security checkpoint.
“This is one of the most severe cases we have handled in the unit,” an official involved in the case said. “We prevented a disaster with many casualties and serious damage to national security.”
The indictment, which is expected to be filed in the coming days, will include charges of arms trafficking, attempts to commit terrorist acts, attempted murder and membership in a hostile organization.
Since the start of the war against Hamas in Gaza 22 months ago, there has been a growing radicalization among some segments of Israel’s Arab citizens, as well as among Palestinians in eastern Jerusalem. Security agencies have investigated dozens of cases.
Since the Hamas-led invasion on Oct. 7, 2023, more than a dozen Israelis have been killed by Arabs with Israeli citizenship or legal residency. This figure includes Arabs from Jerusalem, most of whom have not applied for citizenship but hold legal residency and can move around freely throughout the country.
