The Shin Bet revealed Sunday that it had prevented a major disaster in June 2019 when it arrested Adel Abu al-Dayeb, a resident of Rahat, in a joint operation with the Israel Police.
Rahat is a predominately Bedouin city in southern Israel; in 2017 it had a population of 66,791.
Abu al-Dayeb told his interrogators that he had prepared an explosive device which he intended to use in a hotel close to where he worked as a gardener. He also collected five grenades and a locally made “Carlo” sub-machine gun.
An indictment was filed against Abu al-Dayeb on Sunday by the Southern District Attorney’s Office at the Be’er Sheva District Court.
The Shin Bet investigation revealed that Abu al-Dayeb began supporting the Hamas terror group after having been exposed to its propaganda online. The investigation also revealed that Abu al-Dayeb had attempted to prepare a bomb to be used in an attack on a hotel in Ashdod, close to where he was working as gardener.
He also attempted to construct a rocket, and even purchased some of the needed components.
In the course of the interrogation, Abu al-Dayeb surrendered five grenades (2 tear gas, 2 stun, one smoke), as well as a home-made “Carlo” sub-machine gun.
A Shin Bet spokesperson stated: “The General Security Service considers the involvement of Israeli civilians in terrorist activity to be serious, some of which is influenced by Hamas propaganda disseminated through social networks and the Palestinian media.”