Shin Bet: Arab teens plotted knife attack due to incitement, situation on Temple Mount
Two teens – both aged 16 – were indicted in the Nazareth Juvenile Court on charges of attempted murder, possession of a knife, and conspiracy to commit a crime.
By BEN HARTMANUpdated: OCTOBER 27, 2015 16:11A masked Palestinian protester holds a knife during a protest near the Israeli border fence in northeast Gaza(photo credit: REUTERS)
Two Arab Israeli teens planned to stab a Jewish man at a Migdal Ha'emek gas station earlier this month, and were inspired by “incitement on the internet”, the Shin Bet said in a statement on Tuesday.The statement by the Shin Bet came as two teens – both aged 16 – were indicted in the Nazareth Juvenile Court on charges of attempted murder, possession of a knife, and conspiracy to commit a crime.The two teens were spotted on October 13th lurking at a gas station outside Migdal Ha'emek by a number of passersby who called police to report two young men “behaving strangely”, the Shin Bet said. The two teens fled the scene but were found soon after by officers, who saw them try to throw away a kitchen knife and a makeshift blade while police gave chase.The Shin Bet said Tuesday that while at the gas station the two pointed out a specific target – a religious Jewish man - but changed their plans when the man’s family arrived at the station.According to the security agency, under questioning the two teens – both from an Arab village near Migdal Ha'emek - admitted that “they were deeply influenced by recent events and by incitement dealing with claims about Israel’s actions on the Temple Mount.”They were also told investigators that they were upset that “Arabs can’t pray at the [al-Aksa] mosque” and that they were inspired by recent stabbing attacks in Jerusalem.