 |
 |
 |
|
|
Taher Abu Sakut (right) and Omar Abu Sakut. (Photo: Channel Two)
|
|
|
|
|
|
| By Israel Insider staff July 9, 2008 |
|
| |
 Bookmark to del.icio.us |
| |
Two Bedouins from the southern town of Rahat were charged Wednesday with helping the al-Qaeda terror network plan attacks against strategic Israeli targets. The two suspects, Taher Abu Sakut and Omar Abu Sakut, were nabbed over a month ago in a joint operation of the Israeli Police and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency).
An indictment was filed against them on Wednesday in the Beersheba District Court, accusing them of membership in a terror organization, aiding the enemy during a time of war and transferring information to the enemy with intent to harm national security. Both suspects confessed during their interrogations to having established contacts with Global Jihad elements throughout the Islamic world and assisting them in locating targets for potential terror attacks within Israel.
Security officials said that Taher Abu Sakhut - the primary suspect - became associated with the Islamic Movement in Rahat, the largest Bedouin town in the South. He then agreed to join al Qaida and transferred the group information on IDF bases, strategic installations throughout Israel and other crowded places, such as the Azrieli Towers in Tel Aviv and Ben-Gurion International Airport, as potential targets for attacks.
The detainees are also suspected of transferring to Al Qaida information on potential routes that could be used to infiltrate into Israel from the West Bank. At one point during the contacts with the al Qaeda operatives, Taher asked to be put in touch with terrorists from Iraq and Saudi Arabia who could be recruited to carry out attacks against Jews and Israel.
Israeli Arabs have been charged with maintaining contacts with al Qaida with increasing frequency, primarily via the Internet. In December, two Israeli Arabs from the city of Jaljuliya in northern Israel were arrested for allegedly planning al-Qaeda inspired terror attacks against Israeli targets. |
|
 
|
|
|
|
Click on the blue headline to read a Talkback comment and respond to it. Click on the  icon to send a private email to the talkback writer. The icon appears only if the writer has decided to be contacted. If no popup window appears, please make sure your popup blocker allows israelinsider.com.
|
|
| |
|
|
