ISA Press Release: Israeli Citizen Linked to Islamic State Arrested and
Charged
(Communicated by the ISA)
1 March 2017

The following has been cleared for publication

The Israel Security Agency (ISA), in cooperation with the Israel Police, on
7 February 2017, arrested Valentin Vladimir Mazalevsky, born in 1977, an
Israeli citizen who resides in Shibli, married and the father of five, in
the wake of intelligence information that he had tried recently to go to
Syria in order to join the fighting as a member of Islamic State. Mazalevsky
immigrated to Israel from Belarus in 1996 and converted to Islam in 2000
during his military service, after having met his wife, a resident of
Shibli.

The ISA investigation has revealed that Mazalevsky supports Islamic State
and even purchased a one-way ticket to Turkey in order to cross the border
into Syria and join organization as a fighter. Mazalevsky was active in an
online Islamic State support group and coordinated his trip to Syria with
it.

The ISA views the departure of Israelis to Syria and Iraq as a very
dangerous phenomenon. Islamic State disseminates deceptive photographs to
the effect that a good and respectable life is possible under its rule and
that those who join the fighting will enjoy a religious and military
adventure. However, the investigations of Israelis who have returned from
Syria and Iraq show the opposite – harsh conditions under constant threat.

The ISA views Islamic State supporters in Israel as a severe security threat
and will continue to use all counter-terrorist and preventive means at its
disposal. The ISA will deal with those involved to the fullest extent of the
law.

The State Attorney's Office (Northern District), today (Wednesday, 1 March
2017), filed a severe indictment against Mazalevsky in the Nazareth District
Court.