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Arab-Israeli indicted for ties to ISIS

An Arab-Israeli charged with transmitting money to ISIS had lost a brother who was killed fighting alongside the Islamic terror group. 

The State Attorney’s office in Israel’s Northern District filed an indictment on Monday against Arab-Israeli Fadel Tzaber Knaneh, a 25-year-old resident of Nazareth, for providing financial support to ISIS (Islamic State).

Knaneh was arrested in a joint operation between Israel’s Security Agency (Shin Bet) and Israeli Police on March 2 after information had surfaced showing ties between him and several members of ISIS.

“The ISA (Israel Security Agency/Shin Bet) views with utmost gravity contacts between Israeli citizens and terrorist elements and believes that they severely threaten the security of the State of Israel and the peace of its citizens,” the Shin Bet said in a statement.

“Transferring funds to terrorists abroad abets the perpetration of attacks,” the statement continued. ‘Therefore, the ISA will continue to use all means at its disposal to counter this threat and deal with those involved to the fullest extent of the law.”

Knaneh had been in touch with several Arab-Israelis who were fighting alongside ISIS, including his brother, Muhammad, who joined the Islamic terrorist organization after crossing into Syria in 2014, the Shin Bet said. Muhammed was eventually killed in combat in 2016.

The investigation on Knaneh revealed that he was in contact not only with his brother, but also with Israeli citizen Muhammad Keilani, who continues to fight alongside ISIS forces in Syria or Iraq. At Keilani’s request, Knaneh transmitted a financial transaction to the terrorist organization this month, using a moneychanger in the Palestinian town of Jenin in Samaria.

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An Arab-Israeli couple was arrested last year for joining ISIS upon their return to Israel from Iraq.

By: Jonathan Benedek, World Israel News