Two arrested in northern Israel on ISIS terror charges

According to police, he sought opportunities to seize soldiers’ weapons and focused primarily on female soldiers, whom he believed would be easier to overpower.

By World Israel News Staff

Israeli security authorities have foiled an Islamic State-linked terror plot with the arrest of two men from northern Israel who allegedly pledged allegiance to ISIS and were preparing to seek terrorist training abroad.

In a joint operation conducted over recent weeks, the Shin Bet security service and Israel Police arrested Kinan Azaizeh, a 20-year-old resident of the Jezreel Valley village of Daburiyya, along with another suspect from the city of Acre.

The two were detained on suspicion of membership in the Islamic State organization and maintaining contact with operatives acting on its behalf.

According to investigators, the suspects intended to leave Israel and travel to an enemy country to undergo weapons training and operational instruction for terrorist purposes. Authorities said the pair had already begun taking practical steps toward carrying out the plan before their arrest.

The investigation found that both suspects were undergoing an accelerated process of religious radicalization, largely fueled by ISIS propaganda consumed online.

Chief Inspector Pavel Sakharovitz, head of the Minorities Department in the Northern District Major Crimes Unit, said intelligence indicated the two were advancing actions that posed a direct threat to state security.

“Information was received indicating that two young men were undergoing religious radicalization and advancing actions against state security,” Sakharovitz told ynet, adding that the suspects had pledged loyalty to ISIS and were actively exploring operational options.

During questioning, investigators uncovered that Azaizeh had conducted surveillance on Israel Defense Forces soldiers near his hometown, specifically monitoring navigation exercises in the area.

According to police, he sought opportunities to seize soldiers’ weapons and focused primarily on female soldiers, whom he believed would be easier to overpower.

Authorities also said Azaizeh collected instructional materials on producing explosives, including pipe bombs, and expressed a willingness to carry out attacks against IDF personnel.

Investigators further revealed that the suspects discussed traveling to the United States as part of a broader plan to receive weapons training before continuing on to a region where ISIS is active.

Azaizeh was arrested last month and has since been indicted in the Nazareth District Court. The second suspect was placed in administrative detention. Additional legal proceedings are expected as the case develops.