It is now cleared for publication that seven Israeli Arabs citizens were arrested before Pessach, all connected to a terror plot. The Haifa District Court on Thursday lifted the gag order, permitting the publication of the case.

The seven, six residents of Western Barata and a resident of the Bedouin community of Marar were indicted on a number of charges, including conspiracy to commit terror attacks and contacting enemy agents.

The Haifa district prosecution reports the leader is the 20-year-old from Marar, Abdullah Ben Yunis Charuva, who used the Internet in 2008 to contact Abu Kassam, a resident of Gaza. They discussed perpetrating terror attacks in Israel, and Charuva began studying explosives, including in-depth study of bomb-building. In his home, authorities found at least one explosive and two makeshift handguns.

Charuva was also in touch with 22-year-old Suheib Khaba from Western Barata, discussing the duty of Israeli Arabs to avenge Israel’s actions during Operation Cast Lead. They exchanged information as to the construction of bombs, and spoke of the need to form terror cells capable of carrying out attacks. They planned fitness training and designated a site in the Barata Forest to hide the weapons to be used in terror attacks.

Khaba reportedly planned an attack against an IDF training facility as one of the planned targets.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)