Israel Police thwart attempted terror attack using Molotov cocktails, preventing forest fires in northern Israel

Youth planned to attack Jewish vehicles on Hwy 85, set fires in Gilon Forest near Karmiel

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Israel Police in northern Israel on Wednesday announced they had successfully thwarted an attempted terror attack involving a squad of youth that planned to throw Molotov cocktails at passing cars along Highway 85, as well as igniting forest fires in the area.

The incident took place at the beginning of the month when officers noticed two suspicious minors dressed in black clothing, filling up an object from a gas tank.

During surveillance of the minors, the officers discovered that the two had been preparing a number of Molotov cocktails filled with flammable material.

Suspecting that the two youths were planning to throw the Molotov cocktails at traffic traveling along Highway 85, the police detained and transferred them for interrogation by police and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency).

The suspects admitted their intention to throw the Molotov cocktails at passing vehicles near the Gilon Junction because they belonged to Jews. They also planned to set fires in the Gilon Forest.

The two youths had originally gone to a nearby gas station, where they filled a gas can. They then rode on electric bicycles to a nearby parking lot near the Gilon junction, where they began to fill up bottles. The youth filmed themselves filling up the bottles with their cell phones.

Terrorists carrying out such attacks often film themselves in order to post the videos to social media or send them to their handlers.

Following the joint investigation by Shin Bet and the Northern District Central Unit, the Haifa District Attorney's Office will file an indictment against the two defendants, the police announced.

Superintendent Amit Singer said, "Since the beginning of the Iron Sword War, the Northern District has been acting with determination and strength to thwart security incidents against the civilian population.”

He said the two youths were arrested “in swift and determined action” while “in possession of a large number of Molotov cocktails.”

“The Israel Police and Shin Bet are constantly working to locate such incidents, prevent attacks, locate the terrorists, arrest them and put them behind bars,” Singer said.