Israel spy team called ‘Unit 8200’ foiled IS plot to bring down passenger jet from Australia
Israeli media said intelligence unit foiled an attempted bombing in 2017 an Etihad Airways flight due to leave Sydney for Abu Dhabi
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that intelligence provided by his country foiled a plot by Islamic State to bring down a plane from Australia.
“The Israeli intelligence services thwarted the downing of an Australian plane, an unimaginable slaughter,” the Israeli leader told an American Jewish conference in Jerusalem Wednesday.
“This would have caused a major disruption in global air transport and this is only one of dozens of terrorist attacks we have foiled around the world,” Netanyahu said, later referring to the failed plot as an IS attempt.
The Israeli army said one of its intelligence units, named 8200, provided the information in 2017 leading to the arrest of IS militants who were working “toward the execution of the attack”.
The elite unit gathers and analyses intelligence using sophisticated information technology.
The Israeli military said thwarting the attack “saved the lives of dozens”.