In January 2018, a joint operation of the Shin Bet and the Israel Police led to the arrest of Hassan Taher Sik Yousuf, 27, a resident of the Israeli Arab municipality of Taibeh, on suspicion of supporting the Islamic State terrorist organization and planning to carry out an attack inspired by the organization.

The findings of the investigation indicated that between the years 2014-2015 Hassan began to strengthen religion and to approach the organization of the Islamic state, which started with reading content related to the organization on the Internet and examined possibilities to join the organization in Syria.

During the summer of 2017, in parallel to the protests taking place on Har Habayis against the backdrop of the placement of metal detectors, Hassan tried to persuade others to join him in carrying out attacks in various forms, including a shooting attack in Jerusalem, a car bomb attack in front of the police station in Taibeh and a stabbing attack.

All the parties to whom he applied for joint activity with him refused his proposals and disavowed him. In this way, his intentions were disrupted, since Hassan was afraid to carry out an attack independently.

Hasan’s interrogation was accompanied by the Central District Prosecutor’s Office, which filed an indictment against him on Sunday, 27 Teves.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)