The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency or “Shin Bet”) has arrested a Palestinian who was planning to kidnap Israelis. The arrest, in cooperation with Israel police, took place in recent weeks and was announced by the Shabak Thursday.

The Palestinian, Murad Mahmoud Hassan Ali-Hassin, 25, had been living in Israel illegally, and was a member of Islamic Jihad. He had previously served time in an Israeli prison for attempting to stab an IDF soldier.

Under questioning, the suspect admitted that he had planned a terrorist attack in northern Israel, in the area of the town of Misgav. Among other things, he was planning to kidnap either an IDF soldier or a civilian, with the intention of holding him or her hostage to extract concessions from the government. He also tried to recruit other Palestinian Arabs illegally in Israel to engage in terror acts, he said.

Last month he attempted to break into a home in Avtalyon, a town near Karmiel in northern Israel, armed with a knife, which he was prepared to use. He had nearly achieved his goal when he was discovered by residents of the home, at which point he fled. In addition, the suspect threw several firebombs at cars in northern Israel. He missed the vehicles, but managed to start a brush fire in a field on the side of the road.

Ali-Hassin was indicted in a Haifa court Thursday morning. He has been charged with a variety of crimes, including attempted murder, attempted kidnapping, attempted robbery, weapons possessions, and others crimes.

According to the Shabak, “the results of this investigation once again proves the danger of the danger of illegal foreigners in Israel.”

Any gaps in the security fences on Israel’s borders must be closed up immediately, the security service said, adding that in recent months there had been a significant increase in cases of illegal Palestinian workers becoming involved in terror attacks – among them the 2013 murders of IDF soldiers Tomer Hazan and Eden Atias.