JERUSALEM, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- The Petah Tikva District Court Monday indicted an Israeli Arab for allegedly plotting with Hezbollah agents to kill Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi.
Rawi Fuad Sultani, 23, an Israeli Arab from Tira, is accused of plotting to kill Israel's top army general with Hezbollah agents he met last year, the Israel Security Agency said after a gag order on the case was lifted Monday.
Details released by the ISA said Sultani was arrested by Israel Police and ISA agents on Aug. 10.
Sultani said he met Hezbollah operative Salman Harab, 29, attending a summer camp sponsored by the Israeli Arab political party Balad last year in Morocco, the agency said.
Sultani told Harab he had information concerning Ashkenazi's routine and the two discussed ways of harming him, the ISA said. On his return home, Sultani maintained contact with Harab by telephone and Internet, the agency said.
Last December, Sultani flew to Poland and met with another Hezbollah operative identified as Sami and told him he worked out at the same Kfar Saba gym with Ashkenazi, the ISA said.
The operative asked Sultani to provide additional information on key Israeli officials and the locations of army bases, the statement said.
Sultani's father, one of the lawyers representing his son, told Israel Radio the charges were blown out of all proportion and said his son is innocent.
