Two Israeli Arabs were arrested on November 22, 2015 in a joint ISA (Israel Security Agency – Shin Bet) and northern police operation on suspicion of being affiliated with ISIS. They suspects are residents of the Nazareth area.

The suspects are 20-year-old Muhmad Omar Badar Hassan of Rina and Ahmed Talel Ahmed Sa’aida, 23, of Um el-Ganum. The two are cousins.

According to the ISA report, prior to departing for Turkey, Sa’aida was in touch with his ISIS contact in Syria, with the latter assisting him in traveling from Syria to Turkey. He and Hassan traveled to Turkey, meeting with an ISIS smuggler who accommodated them in an area of the Turkish Syrian border. During their wait in that area they met and spoke with Syrian refugees who told them of the horrors taking place. They decided not to enter deeper into Syria as a result.

Since their return to Israel the two have continued to become increasingly familiar with ISIS ideology via the internet and supporters in Israel. They continued weighing the possibility of fighting on behalf of ISIS and were in touch with one fighter positioned in Iraq.

During the months that followed they become more radical in their beliefs and began contemplating carrying out attacks in Israel, deciding Golani Junction in the north would be an ideal location due to the many soldiers traveling through that area daily.

The ideology formulated by the detainees is that they are required to carry out a terror attack against Jews in the country, demonstrating the results of a combination of extremist ideology and the ease of accessibility in acquiring illegal weapons in a short period of time.

An indictment was handed down against them on 12 Teves in the Nazareth District Court including charges of contacting an enemy agent, attempting to visit an enemy nation, and conspiracy to commit a terrorist attack.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem / Photos: ISA Spokesman)