Heavily armed terror cell uncovered in Arab Israeli town

Israeli Arab terror cell had purchased automatic firearms, pistols, and ammunition for planned shooting attacks, say prosecutors.

By World Israel News Staff

An Israeli Arab terror cell plotting shooting attacks within Israel was broken up recently, Israeli authorities announced over the weekend.

On Sunday, Israel Police and the Shin Bet security agency said that they had jointly uncovered a terrorist cell based in the Arab city of Umm al-Fahm in northern Israel and foiled planned shooting attacks targeting Israelis.

The Shin Bet and Israel Police said that four suspects in their 20s were arrested during a coordinated operation led by detectives from the Coastal District’s Serious Crime Unit (YALP) in the Asher region.

The four men, residents of Umm al-Fahm, were training with weapons in preparation for the planned shooting attacks.

According to investigators, the four suspects had been conducting their firearms training using illegal weapons, including automatic firearms, in preparation for mass shootings.

The probe revealed that the group had acquired both illicit firearms and airsoft weapons, which they used for training exercises.

Police seized four firearms during the arrest operation, including an M-16 assault rifle, two pistols, and a makeshift Carlo-style submachine gun. In addition, authorities found a number of magazines and ammunition for the guns.

Authorities said that following the completion of investigative procedures, sufficient evidence had been gathered against the suspects for an indictment.

The Haifa District Prosecutor’s Office has since filed a prosecutor’s declaration, with indictments expected to be submitted in the coming days, along with a request to keep the suspects in custody until the end of legal proceedings.

“The Shin Bet and Israel Police will continue to act to thwart any involvement of Israeli citizens in activities that endanger state security and its civilians,” the police and Shin Bet said in a joint statement. “We will work with all enforcement agencies to ensure that those involved face the full extent of the law.”