Posted on 11/13/2003 11:12:27 AM PST by yonif
The Shin Bet and Israel Police arrested four Israeli Arabs from the Galilee, who studied in Jordan and were recruited by the Hamas in Jordan and Saudi Arabia to perpetrate attacks in Israel.
Details released on Thursday for publication revealed attempts by Hamas terrorist leaders abroad to recruit Israel Arab students studying at universities in Jordan to their ranks, train them in weapons, explosives and other tactics.
The suspects were recruited in Saudi Arabia while on pilgrimage to Mecca (not during the Haj) and asked to compile intelligence information regarding Israeli bus routes, locations of bus station, malls and information regarding the type of security deployed at the sites.
The four were indicted in August at the Haifa Magistrates court on charges of assisting the enemy during a time of war and supporting a terrorist organization.
Security officials said the four were in an advanced training stage and were plotting and recruiting others to their cause when they were arrested. Their arrests prevented them from implementing the plans and perpetrating the attacks.
Officials noted that it is not the first time that terrorist organizations overseas take advantage of Israeli Arabs visiting Mecca to pray and recruit them to perpetrate attacks.
In March this year three Israel Arab residents of Kafra Manda , all in their twenties, were arrested by security forces for planning to perpetrate attacks in the north of the country on behalf of the Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip. One of the three met with operatives in Mecca in Saudi Arabia and was instructed to establish a cell of Israeli Arabs to perpetrate attacks in Israel.
On July 9, security officials arrested Khadir Shalatah, 25, a resident of Sakhnin and a Masters degree history student who admitted to joining the Hamas in 2001 while studying in Jordan. He told investigators that in 2002 he traveled to Saudi Arabia on a pilgrimage to Mecca and met with a Hamas operative who instructed him in certain aspects of training and informed him he would undergo military training on returning to Jordan.
In January this year, Shalatah underwent military training and was instructed in the use of weapons, explosives, how to fabricate cover stories, how to behave if captured and interrogated and how to transfer coded messages on behalf of the Hamas in Jordan to operatives in the Palestinian territories.
He was instructed to compile intelligence information on bus routes and bus stops, details regarding entrances to malls and security guards. Shalatah also attempted to recruit other Israeli Arabs to Hamas. On July 16, security officials arrested Amin Hassan, 24 of Masad who studied social work in Jordan between 1998 and 2001. Hassan also met with the same Hamas officials in Saudi Arabia in 2001 while making a pilgrimage to Mecca and was instructed on security issues and operational behavior. He was due to have left Jordan for Turkey to undergo military training and admitted to investigators in compiling intelligence information on public places in Haifa and Tel Aviv.
Three days later, on July 19, security officials arrested Rami Hiadrah,21 of Sakhnin who studied pharmacology in Jordan and admitted to agreeing to Shalatah's offer to join the Hamas and travel to Saudi Arabia and meet with Hamas operatives there.
On July 22, security officials arrested Malek Zuabi, 22, a resident of Nazareth Elite who studied Islamic Studies in Jordan admitted to being acquainted with members of the Moslem Brotherhood in Jordan among them university lecturers who advised him to join the Hamas and perpetrate attacks against Israel.
Zuabi also confessed to having met Mahmoud Al Aisi a senior Al Qaida official and was to have met with him in Saudi Arabia. Zuabi smuggled into Israel discs containing inciting material including support for Al Qaida and Osama bin Laden. Zuabi was a staunch supporter of the Islamic Movement in the north under the leadership of Sheikh Ra'ad Salah.
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