Two Akko residents were indicted Thursday for allegedly attempting to purchase arms and conspiring to commit a crime.
According to the indictment, filed with the Akko Magistrates' Court, Hassan Falah Hassan Id, 32, and Khaled Durgar Mustafa Kurdi, 28, planned to purchase firearms and use them against Jews in case fresh riots break out in the mixed city.
Fierce clashes erupted in October 2008 when an Arab resident of the city drove through a predominantly Jewish neighborhood on Yom Kippur.
The two suspects were apprehended last month following the arrest of two Haifa residents who are suspected of trying to sell firearms.
During their interrogation, the Haifa men said Hassan Id had approached one of them and asked to purchase a number of pistols. However, the Haifa residents told investigators they called off the deal upon learning that the pistols were meant to be used against Jews in Akko.
The main suspect, Hassan Id, told investigators that he had approached additional people with the intent of purchasing guns.
Chief Superintendent Avi Maor, commander of the Galilee District Police, said the defendants admitted to trying to purchase pistols in order to harm Jews "in case additional clashes between Arabs and Jews break out".
According to Maor, Hassan Id said he was influenced by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah's speechon TV.
The other defendant, Kurdi, said that as a devout Muslim he was heavily influenced by last month's riots in Jerusalem.