The Haifa District Attorney's Office has filed a serious indictment at the Haifa Magistrate's Court against Khamis Sawaed, a 30-year-old resident of the village of Hussniya in the Galilee, charging him with training or instruction for terrorist purposes. The indictment follows a joint investigation by the Israel Police and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), which led to his arrest last August. According to reports by ynet, the prosecution has requested that the court remand the defendant in custody until the conclusion of legal proceedings.
The indictment, filed by Advocate Segev Adler of the Haifa District Attorney's Office, states that the defendant served as an IDF soldier between 2017 and 2019. Starting in 2023 and continuing until his arrest, Sawaed allegedly developed an ideological identification with the terrorist organization ISIS and displayed a growing interest in its activities. In this context, the defendant reportedly viewed online instructional materials concerning combat tactics, the use of weapons, and the manufacturing of weaponry such as missiles and drones for terrorist purposes.
The investigation indicates that during 2024, the defendant decided to travel to Syria or Africa with the declared intention of joining the organization and fighting on its behalf. To execute this plan, Sawaed worked to prepare himself professionally and financially; he watched lectures by senior organization members, downloaded specific manuals, and saved money for the trip. During 2026, according to the charges, the defendant continued to consume ISIS content to advance his activities.
The legal process is currently focused on examining the evidence presented to the court regarding the prosecution's claims of the defendant's self-training for terrorism. The legal and public significance of this case stems from the combination of the defendant's military background and his attempts to act against the state through terrorist methods. These are serious allegations awaiting judicial determination in court, with a pending request for detention until the conclusion of proceedings, a measure that underscores the perceived danger to authorities from such actions. The public is monitoring developments in this case due to the high security sensitivity surrounding the phenomenon of terrorism and the identification of individuals with hostile organizations operating abroad.