Two Northern Israeli Residents Charged with Planning Terror Attacks for ISIS

The Haifa District Prosecutor's Office is filing two indictments against a 16-year-old minor and a 19-year-old man from northern Israel, accusing them of swearing allegiance to ISIS and planning attacks against Israeli security forces at the Temple Mount and a military base in northern Israel. The prosecution also requested their detention until the end of legal proceedings.

The minor was arrested in early August after a joint investigation by the Shin Bet and Northern District Police revealed he had pledged loyalty to ISIS. During interrogation, it emerged he had been researching bomb-making instructions online and intended to carry out attacks against Jewish police and soldiers at the Temple Mount. Days later, Ibrahim Kaabia, a 19-year-old resident of Haifa, was detained on suspicion of also swearing allegiance to ISIS and planning an attack on a northern IDF base.

This case follows a recent conviction in Beersheba of Dr. Muhammad Azzam, a former Soroka Hospital physician, who was found guilty of membership in a terrorist organization. Since 2014, Azzam had been consuming ISIS-related content and after the October 7 events and the "Iron Swords" conflict, he pledged allegiance to ISIS. He shared footage of the October 7 events with friends, expressing mockery and joy over Israel's suffering, and in 2024 downloaded information on bomb-making and poisons. The Beersheba Magistrate's Court ruled that lack of direct contact with ISIS representatives does not negate membership, as ISIS shifted to inspiring and motivating individuals independently without hierarchical command, according to expert testimony.

The ongoing investigations and prosecutions highlight Israeli security agencies' vigilance against ISIS-inspired threats within Israel, particularly targeting sensitive sites like the Temple Mount and military installations.