The Arab terrorist who was caught by the police in Yafo two months ago with a submachine gun and bombs was asked by the Lion’s Den terror group to carry out an attack in a Bnei Brak shul, according to the indictment submitted against him in a military court.

Muhammad Minawi, a 20-year-old resident of Shechem, was caught in September by Yasam officers who grew suspicious of his behavior and detained him.

Haaretz reported on Wednesday that according to the indictment, Minawi decided to carry out an attack on behalf of Lion’s Den after a senior member of the terror group was killed during an exchange of fire with IDF forces in August.

Minawi received assistance from Tamer al-Kilani, another senior member of Lions’ Den, who handed him a submachine gun, a cartridge with nine bullets, and two explosive devices with nails inside them. Last Sunday, al-Kilani was killed in a “mysterious explosion” in Shechem after an explosive device was attached to his motorcycle.

The indictment states that before Minawi left to carry out the attack, the two met at al-Kilani’s house – and he asked Minawi to carry out the attack at a shul in Bnei Brak. However, Minawi replied that he “wants to carry out the attack wherever possible” – and refused to commit to a specific location.

Minawi planned to arrive at a crowded place in Tel Aviv and carry out a mass suicide attack.

On September 8, Minawi crossed through a gap in the security fence into Israel and was driven to Tel Aviv by a driver who was unaware of his plans. By 2:35 p.m., he was walking along Herbert Samuel Promenade searching for a place to carry out the attack. According to the indictment, he stayed on the boardwalk for about an hour and 15 minutes until he aroused the suspicion of the Yasam officers and was arrested.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)