Taibe Arab Arrested for Planning Yerushalayim Terror Attack

Security officials released for publication the arrest of Hassan Khaled Taher Sheikh Yusuf, a 27-year-old resident of the Israeli-Arab city of Taibe, who planned terror attacks against Israelis on behalf of Islamic State. The arrest was made in early January.

In recent years, officials said, Yusuf had become influenced by Islamic State propaganda, and began planning attacks and acquiring weapons for this purpose. Among the attacks he planned were a shooting attack in Yerushalayim and a car bomb attack on the Taibe police station, as well as a stabbing attack targeting police officers.

Yusuf tried to recruit acquaintances for the attacks, but was mostly turned down. As a result, he decided to carry out the attacks on his own.

The Shin Bet said that it took cases of Israelis openly supporting Islamic State “very seriously, and we see it as a very serious security offense. We will continue to pursue suspects and impose all the necessary enforcement necessary to prevent the spread of this organization in Israel, and to prevent Israelis from leaving the country to fight with Islamic State forces.”