Israel seizes four ISIS supporters preparing for “major war”

Israel’s Shin Bet security service and the police have detained four ISIS supporters from Beit Safafa, a predominantly Arab neighbourhood in Jerusalem.

According to Israeli authorities, the four men, all in their 20s, are suspected of supporting ISIS ideology, consuming large quantities of the group’s online propaganda, including execution videos, and planning attacks against Jewish Israelis, Caliber.Az reports, citing The Times of Israel.

During interrogations, the suspects told investigators they intended to acquire military equipment and weapons in preparation for what they referred to as a “major war.”

The Shin Bet says they had already begun purchasing gear, and one of them managed to obtain a pistol, later seized by security forces.

He reportedly told investigators he planned to use the weapon against Jews or anyone who is not a Muslim.

Indictments are expected to be filed soon against two of the suspects, while the investigation into the remaining two continues. All four remain in custody.

To remind,  ISIS, also known as ISIL, is a militant extremist organisation that emerged from the remnants of al-Qaeda in Iraq and rose to global notoriety in 2014 when its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, declared a self-styled caliphate. The group became infamous for its brutality, carrying out mass executions, acts of terrorism, and severe human rights abuses targeting religious and ethnic minorities.

According to the US Congressional Research Service, ISIS at its height governed millions of people, financing its operations through extortion, oil trafficking, and taxation. It also built an extensive propaganda network that enabled it to recruit followers worldwide.

The territorial caliphate was dismantled in 2019 through operations by international coalitions and local forces. However, the Congressional Research Service notes that the group remains active through dispersed cells in Iraq and Syria, as well as various regional affiliates. Despite losing almost all of the territory it once controlled, ISIS continues to pose a significant terrorist threat and retains the ability to inspire or coordinate attacks beyond the region.

By Jeyhun Aghazada