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Israeli-Arab woman charged in ISIS terror plot in US

An Israeli-Arab woman was arrested by the FBI in Wisconsin and charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIS.

By: World Israel News Staff

Waheba Issa Dais, 45, an Arab-Israeli native of Jerusalem now residing in Cudahy, Wisconsin, was arrested by the FBI and charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIS by recruiting and helping others to carry out attacks, authorities said in a statement Wednesday.

According to the criminal complaint, since at least January, Dais has attempted to aid ISIS by promoting its agenda, facilitating recruitment and maintaining a virtual library of instructions on how to make bombs, biological weapons, poisons and suicide vests to assist self-proclaimed members and supporters in planning terror attacks.

The FBI Milwaukee Division’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, which investigated the case, revealed that Dais used multiple social media accounts that she had hacked and taken over from unwitting victims and private social media platforms.

In one instance, Dais used one of her pro-ISIS accounts to encourage a particular individual, whom she believed to be an ISIS supporter, to conduct an attack in the name of the terror group.

She also provided detailed instructions on how to make ricin and then suggested using it to attack a government post or water reservoirs.

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In another social media post, she suggested potential targets for bombing attacks, including street festivals and summer celebrations.

Dais appeared before a federal magistrate judge on Wednesday. She faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.00.

Israel, too, has been contending with the threat posed by ISIS followers.

At least 60 Israelis, mostly Arabs and a couple of converts to Islam, have traveled to Syria and Iraq over the past several years to fight with various rebel groups, including ISIS. At least 10 were arrested on their return; others had been killed in action.

Israeli security forces have exposed several ISIS terror cells, comprised mostly of Arabs holding Israeli citizenship, operating in the Jewish state. Tens of suspects were arrested.

Israel fears that citizens returning home after fighting alongside ISIS will use their experience to establish terror networks and launch attacks within the country. Another threat is the possibility of ISIS influencing Arab Israelis, especially via social media, to attack the Jewish state and its citizens.