An Israeli court on Sunday indicted the imam of a mosque in the northern city of Nazareth on charges of incitement and supporting "terrorism," the justice ministry said.

Nazem Abu Slim -- the outspoken imam of the Shihab al-Din mosque -- was arrested on October 6 along with another Arab citizen of Israel on suspicion of having ties with militant groups.

He is known for preaching a radical version of Islam hostile to Israel's Jewish majority as well as to Christians and moderate Muslims.

"Nazem Abu Slim... was indicted on Sunday by a Nazareth court on charges of inciting violence and supporting a terrorist organisation," the justice ministry said.

According to the charge sheet, a copy of which was obtained by AFP, the 45-year-old imam is accused of having "set up an Islamist extremist movement" in 1997. He faces a jail term if found guilty.

The Israeli authorities also accuse Abu Slim of having distributed booklets and brochures "that support the global jihadist ideology and the ideology of the Al-Qaeda terrorist group."

He also allegedly posted on his Internet website audio messages from Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, and is said to have called for violence against Jews and Christians.

Abu Slim was arrested in October along with a man identified as Mohammed Naarani, also on suspicion of "supporting terrorism."

In June, police and the Shin Bet domestic security agency arrested seven Israeli Arabs from the Nazareth area on suspicion of planning to attack Jews and Christians.

The suspects, who local media said had attended the Shihab al-Din mosque, reportedly said they were inspired by the Bin Laden's speeches.

During a 2009 visit to the city by Pope Benedict XVI, Abu Slim and his followers hung up a banner saying "He is not welcome here."

Nazareth has the largest concentration of Christian Arabs in Israel.

Israel's Arab citizens, nearly 20 percent of the population, are Palestinians who stayed in the Jewish state following the 1948 war that attended its creation, along with their descendants.

France 24