It was allowed to be published that the Shin Bet uncovered and thwarted a terrorist infrastructure that operated in the territories of Israel and in the Judea and Samaria region, in accordance with the guidance and direction of Iranian security officials, in order to carry out acts of terrorism, to undermine the stability of the State of Israel and the sense of security of its citizens. The disclosure of the affair comes at the end of a joint activity of the Shin Bet With the police and the IDF. In recent days, indictments were filed in the military court as well as in the district court in Haifa against those involved, accusing them of serious security offenses.
According to the Shin Bet's announcement, as part of the investigation into the affair, 5 people involved were arrested, including three Palestinians - Murad Kamamja, a 47-year-old resident of Kafr Dan; Hassan Mujarima, a 34-year-old resident of Jenin; and Ziad Shanti - a 45-year-old resident of Jenin. Two Israeli citizens living in the north of the country were also arrested: Hamad Hammadi, a 23-year-old resident of Nazareth, and Youssef Hamad, an 18-year-old resident of Muqeible.
Their investigation by the Shin Bet reveals that Murad and Hassan acted under the direction and guidance of an official living in Jordan, who acted on behalf of Iranian security officials. The two were asked to assist in smuggling illegal weapons into Israeli territory and to gather intelligence about security personnel and senior public figures, including political figures - Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir and former Knesset member Yehuda Glick. However, the investigation revealed that in light of the security arrangements around the minister, they were unable to carry out the task they were asked to perform.
The investigation also revealed that Murad and Hassan acted under the direction and guidance of elements on behalf of the Iranian security forces, in promoting the execution of terrorist activities within the territories of Israel by setting fire to the vehicles of Israeli citizens. As part of their activity, Murad and Hassan recruited Ziad Shanti in order to promote the terror activity, with the latter being aware that Iranian elements were behind the activity. Following this, Shanti recruited two Israeli citizens - Hamad Hammadi and Youssef Hamad - to set fire to the vehicles, and the two carried out the setting fire in Haifa last June and even took a video for documentation.
"The assessment is that this is a test mission on behalf of the targeted elements in Iran, in order to promote much more serious terrorist activity in the future, and the arrest of the members of the infrastructure thwarted these intentions. The investigation revealed an Iranian method of operation, of using Israeli citizens, even those with a criminal background, and recruiting them to promote terrorism activity on criminal action platforms, in exchange for the payment of money," said the Shin Bet. "This affair illustrates, once again, Iran's growing efforts to undermine security, social and political stability in Israel, through the recruitment of Israeli and Palestinian citizens for terror and criminal activities."
It was also reported that "The General Security Service and the Israel Police view very seriously the involvement of Israeli citizens in terror activities in Israel directed by Iran and its affiliates. The General Security Service is carrying out, and will continue to carry out at all times, active moves to monitor and thwart any activity that endangers the security of the State of Israel and its citizens in order to bring for exposing and harm the efforts of the Iranians to carry out terrorist activities in the territories of Israel, and will work to bring the parties involved to justice."
Following the publication of the affair, Minister Ben-Gvir said in response: "I thank the members of the General Security Service and the members of the security forces who led to the exposure and capture of the terrorist squad that intended to assassinate a minister in Israel. I will continue to act fearlessly and even more vigorously for a fundamental change in the conditions of the terrorists' imprisonment in prison, for the continuation of the war on terrorism, for the rights of prayer and Jewish sovereignty on the Temple Mount, for the integrity of our country and to ensure the safety and security of the citizens of Israel."
