Ex-IDF Soldier Faces Trial for ISIS Ideology and Self-Training

The Haifa District Prosecutor's Office has indicted Hamis Suad, a 30-year-old resident of Husniya, a Bedouin village near Karmiel, on charges related to radical Islamic ideology and self-training for terrorism. Suad, who served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) from 2017 to 2019, allegedly developed an increasing interest in the Islamic State (ISIS) organization starting in 2023, identifying with its principles and goals.

According to the indictment, Suad consumed ISIS-related content online, including videos and materials on social media. He reportedly planned to travel abroad to Syria or Africa to fight against "infidels" and began preparing himself psychologically, practically, and religiously. This preparation involved watching videos of killings and beheadings, studying instructions on weapon usage and combat tactics, and viewing lectures from ISIS representatives, all with the aim of supporting the terrorist organization or committing a terrorist act. He was also saving money for this plan.

Leading up to his arrest on August 2, 2026, Suad downloaded guides and watched videos on manufacturing rockets and drones, using sniper rifles, and employing ISIS weaponry and military tactics. He is being charged under Article 29(b) of the Counter-Terrorism Law, which carries a sentence of up to seven years imprisonment for receiving training or instruction to aid a terrorist organization or commit a terrorist act.

The legal basis for the charge is considered tenuous, as the law typically implies direct instruction from an instructor in a physical location. A 2023 Knesset discussion explored whether "receiving instruction" extends to virtual spaces like Telegram, with prosecutors at the time suggesting it would be an "expansive interpretation." The current case represents a potential attempt by the prosecution to establish a precedent by applying the charge to "self-training" using online materials.

However, the court may not agree with this broad interpretation. Prosecutors might be required to either reclassify the charges to a lesser offense, such as systematically consuming terrorist content (punishable by up to one year in prison), or drop the case entirely.