Jerusalem Pharmacy Student Accused of Plotting Poison Attacks Against Jews

Jerusalem District Prosecutor's Office has filed an indictment against 22-year-old Mohammed Shalabi, a resident of the Beit Hanina neighborhood, accusing him of preparing mass casualty terror attacks and undergoing terrorist training. Shalabi, a third-year pharmacy student, allegedly planned to use his chemistry knowledge and access to lab reagents to create deadly poisons and improvised explosive devices. He reportedly worked as a pharmacy assistant while studying.

Following the October 7, 2023, attack and the start of military operations, Shalabi became influenced by extremist ideology, consuming materials from Hamas and the Islamic State. Initially, he planned to bomb an Israeli security post near a Beit Hanina mosque due to parking fines, conducting surveillance for two months. This plan was abandoned when patrols stopped appearing at the targeted location.

Shalabi then shifted his focus to large-scale attacks against the Jewish population. He joined closed Islamic State Telegram channels and downloaded manuals on synthesizing lethal substances, meticulously recording poison recipes in a notebook. These poisons were designed to be fatal through inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact.

Investigators documented Shalabi's progression to the practical stage, including two trips to Ramallah to purchase chemical precursors and lab equipment. He bought supplies from various vendors to avoid suspicion and stored the chemicals in his bedroom. He conducted tests on the mixtures in his family's bathroom, observing their thermal reactions. To conceal his activities, Shalabi later deleted his search history and downloaded instructions from his smartphone.

The prosecution has requested that Shalabi be held in custody until the completion of his trial.