Beersheba terror plot foiled, 4 Arab-Israelis arrested

Israeli authorities say the suspects planned a mass-casualty attack at Beersheba’s central bus station.

By World Israel News Staff

A planned terrorist attack targeting Beersheba’s central bus station was thwarted by Israeli security forces after four Arab Israeli men were arrested for allegedly conspiring to carry out attacks against civilians and security personnel.

The suspects were arrested during operations conducted in May and June, but news of their detention remained under a court-imposed gag order until Friday, when the Israel Police, the Shin Bet security agency, and the State Prosecutor’s Office announced that indictments had been filed against the four men.

According to the joint statement, all four suspects are residents of Segev Shalom — known in Arabic as Shaqib al-Salam — a Bedouin town near Beersheba in Israel’s southern Negev region.

The defendants, whose identities were not released by authorities, have been charged with conspiracy to commit an act of terrorism, as well as receiving training or instruction for terrorist purposes.

Investigators allege that the group’s leader became radicalized in the aftermath of the widespread Arab rioting that erupted during Operation Guardian of the Walls in May 2021. During the military clash between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, violent rioting erupted in mixed Arab-Jewish cities, including Lod and Acre.

Several Jewish civilians were killed in attacks by Arab rioters. As unrest spread, Border Police units — normally deployed in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria — were reassigned to reinforce local police forces and restore order.

According to the indictment, the alleged ringleader viewed those events as a catalyst for creating an armed terrorist cell that would one day confront Israeli security forces responding to similar unrest.

Authorities said the suspect maintained social media accounts that were used to praise Hamas terrorists, glorify violent jihad, and celebrate the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led massacre in southern Israel. Investigators allege that his online activity helped him connect with the three other suspects, who later joined the conspiracy.

Together, prosecutors say, the four men planned to carry out a terrorist attack at Beersheba’s central bus station — a busy transportation hub serving thousands of commuters each day. The group also allegedly discussed attacking the city’s police station as part of the broader plot.

The Shin Bet and Israel Police said the investigation prevented what could have been a mass-casualty attack targeting both civilians and members of Israel’s security forces.