A 16-year-old from southern Israel was arrested in December for planning to join Islamic State and engage in terrorist activities, according to a joint statement released on Thursday by the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) and Israel Police.

An investigation revealed that the young man intended to travel abroad to join the group, and had considered forming a terrorist cell in Israel to carry out attacks, according to the statement.

He had also allegedly started manufacturing bombs, and was in possession of documents detailing various kinds of terrorist activity.