Security Officials Arrest Terrorist With Belgian Citizenship

Shin Bet and Israel Police officials last month arrested Mustafa Khaled Awad, a Belgian citizen who had attempted to enter Israel in order to join a terrorist group, it was released for publication. Awad attempted to enter Israel from Jordan, via the Allenby Bridge crossing. He had sought to participate in terror attacks by the Popular Front terror group, the officials said.

Awad, 36, had undergone terrorist training in Lebanon in 2015, after joining the terror group in 2010. Shin Bet officials said that he had been in contact with Popular Front members throughout Europe, and had transferred money from Europe to Popular Front chapters in Egypt, Lebanon, Syria and Palestinian Authority-controlled areas. In a statement, the Shin Bet said that the incident “emphasizes the dangers inherent in the recruitment by terror groups of individuals with foreign citizenship from countries whose citizens are allowed into Israel.”

Overnight Thursday, security officials said they arrested eight wanted security suspects in other areas in Yehudah and Shomron. The suspects were wanted for participating in rioting and throwing stones and firebombs that endangered Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers. Several of the suspects were also charged with belonging to Hamas. All were being questioned on their activities by security forces.