Jordanian Who Attempted Chadera Stabbing Attack Indicted

An indictment was handed down Monday against Muhammed Matzlach, a 21-year-old Jordanian citizen who planned to carry out a terror stabbing attack against Jews. Besides charging him with terror, the indictment handed down in the Haifa District Court charges him with illegally entering Israel, acquiring and holding an illegal weapon, and interfering with the duties of a police officer.

The incident occurred on July 22, in central Chadera. Matzlach told interrogators that he was hoping to stab a soldier. According to the indictment, the terrorist grabbed a 7-inch knife from a warehouse near where he was staying and entered Israel through a hole in the border fence. He traveled to Chadera by bus. He wandered around the city for several hours but failed to find a soldier to stab.

Eventually he came upon two police officers, and when he was unable to produce papers allowing him to be in Israel, they attempted to arrest him. In response the terrorist pulled out the knife and tried to stab the officers. The officers pulled out their weapons and shot at him, but missed. After a short chase, the officers cornered him, as he was holding a large rock that he was about to throw at them. The officers called on him to lower his weapons, but he attempted instead to attack. Police then shot at him again, this time injuring him.

He was taken to a hospital for treatment of light injuries and then incarcerated, police said. Police have asked the court for an extension of his remand until the end of procedures against him.