Arab Teen Arrested for Attempting to Join Islamic State

An Israeli Arab resident of the town of Jaljulye has been arrested for attempting to join the Islamic State terror group, security officials released for publication Wednesday. The Arab was arrested in a joint effort by Shin Bet forces and Israel Police officials.

The investigation began when the detainee was 16, about a year ago. He had planned to leave Israel and join IS in Syria, officials said, and had taken “material steps” to accomplish that. He had collected photos and other items relating to the group, and had also acquired weapons which officials fear he had planned to provide to terrorists, or to carry out a terror attack himself.

Jaljulye, a prosperous Israeli Arab town located near Kfar Sava, has been a center of IS recruitment. A number of residents of the town have been arrested for similar crimes. Jaljulye was also the home of the infamous “glider terrorist,” who last year tried to fly a glider into Syria from a site in the Golan Heights used by sports enthusiasts for paragliding, in order to join IS. His arrest led to the detention of six other residents of the town with similar aspirations.