A 16-year-old boy from the Arab Israeli city of Tira has been charged with attempting to carry out a terror attack on police officers at a local station after consulting the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT, Israeli authorities said Wednesday.
The indictment, filed in the Central District Juvenile Court in Lod, alleges the teen acted out of nationalist motives, driven by anger over Israel’s ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. Prosecutors said he sought revenge for what he described as the “Jewish occupation” and the military campaign.
According to the indictment, submitted by prosecutor Tali Keret from the Central District Attorney’s Office, the boy began planning the attack about two and a half months ago and used ChatGPT to explore possible methods and tactics for carrying out a terrorist act.
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On the night of March 5, the teen allegedly set out on foot, armed with a knife with a 10-centimeter (4-inch) blade, after performing a ritual shower. He then forced his way into the Tira police station compound, where he encountered a Border Police officer. He raised the knife and shouted “Allahu Akbar” and other similar phrases before being subdued, the indictment said.
The teen is charged with attempted aggravated assault under aggravated circumstances, defined in Israeli law as an act of terrorism. Prosecutors have requested that he remain in custody until the conclusion of legal proceedings.