Israel charges 5 Arabs for setting up Islamic State cell

JERUSALEM (AP) -- Israel has indicted five Arab citizens for establishing a cell of the Islamic State group.

A statement by Israeli police on Tuesday says the five were amassing weapons and training with them.

The statement says the men "identify with the ideology of the Islamic State." It's unclear if they had been in contact with the extremist group, which has captured large swathes of land in Iraq and Syria.

The men, all residents of the city of Nazareth and aged 19 to 27, were charged with supporting an outlawed group and weapons offenses, among others. Police said the indictment was served last month.

A number of Israel's Arab citizens have been charged with having ties to the Islamic State group. Others have traveled to join the group in Syria.