Israeli Police Charge Negev Man for Forum Club Bomb Plot and ISIS Ties

The Israeli State Prosecutor's Office filed a serious indictment on Tuesday against Abdullah Gargawi, a 20-year-old from Segev Shalom in the Negev, accusing him of planning a terror attack near the Forum nightclub in Beersheba. Gargawi also established connections with ISIS supporters and intended to join the organization in Syria.

According to the indictment submitted by Attorney Alex Drenboim of the Southern District Prosecutor's Office, Gargawi began consuming ISIS-related content on social media in 2022, gradually expressing support and identifying with the group. He communicated with ISIS supporters, discussing jihad and events in Israel, and joined a private Signal chat group focused on jihadist topics. After the group was disbanded, he deleted the app to avoid leaving traces.

Gargawi contacted an ISIS supporter in Syria seeking guidance on how to travel there to join the fight, receiving instructions on routes through Jordan or Turkey. He also communicated with an ISIS operative who suggested Yemen or Afghanistan as alternative destinations. Although he planned to leave Israel for Syria, police intervention caused him to halt preparations.

Simultaneously, Gargawi planned a bombing attack in Beersheba around February 2026, intending to detonate explosives remotely from a booby-trapped vehicle near the Forum nightclub during peak hours. He researched bomb-making instructions on YouTube and attempted to procure sulfur, eventually trying to produce it himself from matches, conducting a failed ignition test near his home.

The indictment also accuses Gargawi of illegal possession of weapons and ammunition. He held an M-16 style rifle, magazines, and ammunition for a relative, firing it in an open area near Ramat Hovav. In 2025, he possessed various firearms including MAG, Kalashnikov, and Negev rifles for another individual. The prosecution warned that if released, Gargawi poses a significant risk of reoffending, as he continued his activities despite multiple security warnings.

The charges include contact with a foreign agent, providing services or means to a terrorist organization, preparing for a terror act, training for terror purposes, and weapons offenses. The investigation was conducted by the Southern District Police and the Shin Bet security service.