Teacher-in-training turns jihadist
A student teacher from Bedouin village of Tel Sheva is accused of joining a Jihadist organization and attempting to organize terror attacks in Israel.
A Bedouin teacher-in-training was charged on Monday with being in contact with jihadist organizations around the Arab world, and agreeing to assist these organizations in smuggling their operatives into Israel for the purpose of carrying out terror attacks.
Mohammad al-Assam, 22, from the Bedouin village of Tel Sheva, was arrested three weeks ago while trying to cross from Jordan into Israel.
According to the indictment, al-Assam studied Islamic law at the University of Yarmouk in Irbid, Jordan. It was there where he first reached out to radical Sheikh Abdullah ibn-Fahd al-Halusi.
In August 2015, al-Assam was added to an Islamic WhatsApp group headed by the Sheikh through the efforts of a Tunisian Jihadist named Abu-Said.
Al-Assam then reached out to Abu-Said directly, and began a discussion on how the two of them could establish a terror cell in the Gaza Strip, with the purpose of attacking the IDF. Al-Assam also attempted to recruit others to his cell.
The indictment also alleges that Abu-Said was to be smuggled into Israel under the cover of serving as a sheikh at the mosque with which the al-Assam family is affiliated in Tel Sheva. From there, he was to preach and give lessons about Islam and about Jihad. The two men agreed to meet in Saudi Arabia in April of 2016 in order to further discuss how to put this plan into action, and further their plans in setting up their terror cell.
Throughout his interrogation, the suspect admitted to his connection with Abu-Said, and after establishing a strong case against him based on concrete evidence, the Southern District Prosecutor’s office issued an official indictment, including a request to hold the suspect until the end of judicial proceedings. Al-Assam officially stands accused of conspiracy to assist an enemy combatant, and assisting an enemy combatant.
Last month, the Be'er Sheva District Court sentenced Mohammad al-Qian to four years in prison after he admitted to attempting to join ISIS in Syria. Al-Qian, 29, was also a teacher in the Bedouin town of Hura. He was indicted for establishing a terror cell, and acting as a “spiritual leader” who provided material support to ISIS.
A week later, Bashir al-Qian, also a teacher from Hura and relative of Mohammad al-Qian, was sentenced to nine months in prison after professing his support for ISIS in classes he taught. Bashir al-Qian noted that he only supports ISIS because of the organization’s support of the Syrian people, and not out of a desire to attack Israel.
