A Palestinian Arab from a village north of Jerusalem was indicted Thursday morning at Jerusalem District Court, for planning a shooting attack at the capital’s popular Malha Mall.

Abed Al-Muatay Abu-Sneineh, a 22-year-old resident of Kfar Akib, contrived to carry out an attack while serving time at Ktziot Prison in southern Israel last July, together with fellow inmate Ihab Sheikh Subah. 

According to the indictment Subah, who was released last September, told Abu-Sneineh that he intended to carry out a terror attack, and asked him to act as his accomplice. Abu-Sneineh agreed, and the pair determined to resume contact once both were released from prison.

Abu Snieneh was released in January of this year, and the next month met Subah in a cafe in Ramallah, during which the latter disclosed his plans to conduct a shooting attack against Israeli security forces stationed near Malha Mall on the southern outskirts of Jerusalem. He said he planned to strike on a Thursday afternoon, when a high concentration of soldiers would be waiting at the nearby bus stations on their way home from base for the weekend.

Subah revealed he had already gained possession of several guns and a stock of ammunition, and that he planned to wear an IDF soldier’s uniform during the attack, in order to enable him to draw as close as possible to the group of soldiers and cause maximum casualties.

He told his accomplice Abu-Sneineh to conduct reconnaissance of the mall, including recording extensive video footage of the comings and goings of local public transportation, concentrations of soldiers, and access points to the site.

Abu-Sneineh agreed, but was arrested by police as soon as he finished filming.

The indictment against Abu-Sneineh includes charges of conspiracy to carry out an act of terror. Prosecutors have requested he be held in custody until the end of proceedings against him.