Criminal9/2/2026

Former IDF Soldier Charged With Preparing to Join ISIS

The Haifa District Attorney’s Office filed an indictment against Khamis Sawaed, 28, a resident of Hussniyya in the Galilee. According to the prosecution’s version, the former soldier prepared to join ISIS abroad and studied materials on weapons and combat tactics.

Key facts

•Defendant: Khamis Sawaed, 28
•Place of residence: Hussniyya, the Galilee
•IDF service: 2017–2019
•The time when he allegedly decided to join ISIS: 2024
•Arrest: late August 2026
•The case number and the exact date on which the indictment was filed were not specified

Who Is the Defendant?

Khamis Sawaed served in the IDF from 2017 to 2019. According to the indictment and the investigative materials, he underwent a prolonged, self-directed process of ideological radicalization and began to identify with ISIS’s values and objectives.

What Is the Prosecution’s Version?

The investigation alleges that Sawaed regularly browsed websites and social media pages linked to ISIS and watched propaganda videos. In 2024, he allegedly decided to join the organization’s fighting in Syria or Africa. In preparation, he studied ISIS’s religious doctrine, the use of weapons and combat tactics, and also watched videos of executions.

Materials on Rockets and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

According to the prosecution’s version, the defendant downloaded detailed manuals for the self-production of rockets and unmanned aerial vehicles for terrorist purposes. He is also accused of studying materials on the use of sniper rifles and the manufacture of weapons—allegedly to assist ISIS activities and carry out terrorist attacks.

The Indictment and Detention

The prosecution classified the alleged acts as training or receiving instruction for terrorist purposes. Alongside filing the indictment, it requested that Sawaed remain in detention until the conclusion of the legal proceedings. The source does not report the court’s decision on this request or any sentence; at this stage, the allegations remain the prosecution’s version.

What this means for you

The report shows that criminal prosecution for terrorism offenses is possible as early as the stage of deliberate preparation and study, even when the source does not report that an attack was carried out. However, downloading and viewing materials are assessed in the context of the alleged purpose, the nature of the preparation and other circumstances of the case. The court must determine the defendant’s guilt.

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Case analysis based on court rulings