The State Attorney's Office submitted an indictment on Thursday to the Youth Magistrate Court against a 15-and-a-half-year-old minor from central Israel, charging him with threatening to commit an act of terrorism through voice messages sent in a WhatsApp group.
TEEN CHARGED
15-Year-Old Charged Over WhatsApp Threats to Blow Up Soldiers with Explosives
Central District prosecutors filed an indictment against a 15-year-old for issuing terror threats in a WhatsApp group, continuing even after a member warned him his statements would be reported to the police
Terror Threats in Dog-Breeding Group
According to the indictment filed by Attorney Hila Cohen Kadosh of the Central District Attorney's Office, the minor posted a video earlier this month in a WhatsApp group dedicated to dog breeding. The video showed a military vehicle near a cowshed, with the minor heard saying in the background, "Here comes the army, may God disgrace them."
Following the video, the minor recorded an additional voice message threatening to carry out a terrorist act against the soldiers. Among other statements, he expressed a desire to plant an explosive device near them, claiming he knew their location.
Warning Ignored Before Police Report
One group member explicitly warned the teenager that his statements could lead to a police report and arrests. Despite the warning, prosecutors state that the minor sent another voice message shortly after, reiterating his threats to blow up the soldiers using an explosive charge.
Following the messages, a group member reported the incident to the police, initiating an investigation that culminated in the indictment.
The Central District Attorney's Office asserts that the defendant threatened an act of terrorism driven by ideological motives aimed at provoking public fear or panic. These claims are outlined in the indictment, and a judicial ruling has not yet been issued. Alongside the indictment, prosecutors requested that the court maintain restrictive conditions on the minor until the end of legal proceedings, including a ban on owning a mobile phone or using social media networks.
The court permitted the publication of the indictment details while withholding any identifying information of the defendant, strictly prohibiting the publication of any details that could lead to revealing the minor's identity.
