It was announced on Wednesday that a group of Hamas terrorists from Shechem (Nablus) who were arrested before they could perpetrate their attack was also planning to kidnap Rabbi Yehudah Glick, a Likud Member of Knesset and advocate for universal prayer on the Temple Mount.

The three terrorists were arrested in late October while they were in the planning stages of an attack they intended to carry out during the Hanukkah holiday that ended on  Wednesday.

When the head of the terror cell, Mu’ad Ashtiyah, was brought to court, it was revealed in the indictments that before the group planned to kidnap Israeli civilians and soldiers, they had considered kidnapping Rabbi Glick.

The charge read, “The accused considered capturing and killing Israeli public figures. Among the people considered to be kidnapped and killed were MK Yehudah Glick and Major Avichay Adraee, the Head of the Arabic Communications Division for the IDF.”

Israeli security services said the goal of the terror attack was to advance negotiations for the release of security prisoners in Israeli prisons. In preparation for the abduction, Ashtiyah purchased a pistol, pepper spray, and a stun gun but he planned to acquire more weapons before the attack. The group was receiving instructions from Hamas in Gaza.

Rabbi Glick has been targeted by Palestinian violence in the past. In 2014, he survived an assassination attempt when he was shot four times by a Palestinian. In 2016, Hamas released a computer-animated video showing a group of terrorists stalking Rabbi Glick and shooting him in front of his home.

In light of this additional information, the judges are expected to impose a longer sentence if the Palestinians are found guilty.