Freed terrorist re-arrested for planning another attack

Moataz Berri served just three years in an Israeli military prison before his release.

By World Israel News Staff

A convicted terrorist released from an Israeli prison was recently arrested for planning an additional terror attack, Channel 14 News reported on Wednesday.

In September 2020, Moataz Berri was arrested moments before carrying out an attack against Israeli civilians.

Berri, a 24-year-old from the terror hotbed of Qalqilya, had illegally infiltrated Israel from PA-controlled territory. He was detained by security forces in the central city of Rosh HaAyin, where he was found to be in possession of a loaded gun.

The terrorist left behind a “martyrdom letter” and admitted during an interrogation that he had planned to shoot Israeli civilians.

According to his testimony in military court, Berri wandered around Rosh HaAyin searching for victims for nearly two hours.

He told the judges that he had planned to shoot an Orthodox Jewish man whom he encountered but changed his mind after noticing that the potential victim had a baby in his vehicle.

Berri claimed that he had already decided not to carry out the attack when he was arrested.

In 2022, the court acquitted Berri of attempted murder charges due to his expression of remorse.

“We welcome the court’s decision to acquit the defendant. This is an important decision that sends a clear message” to potential terrorists, Berri’s attorney, Merav Khory, said in a media statement at the time.

The ruling “sends a message that says ‘it is never too late'” to “stop their actions and save innocent lives,” she added.

Berri was convicted on less serious charges and served just three years in an Israeli military prison before being freed.

In October 2024, Berri was re-arrested by intelligence and security agencies after an investigation revealed he was planning to carry out another attack. According to the report, Berri had been in communication via “encrypted channels” with Hamas operatives in Turkey.

Berri said during his interrogation that he was instructed by his handlers to retrieve weapons, which had been buried in a field near the PA-controlled city of Tulkarem.

Investigators found an M-16 assault rifle and two handguns at the site.