Posted on 08/06/2003 11:56:55 AM PDT by yonif
Iran has stepped up its funding of Palestinian terrorist cells, especially those affiliated with Fatah Tanzim, since the hudna went into effect on June 29, a senior security official said Tuesday.
Millions of dollars are being sent to fund Fatah Tanzim activities in Samaria, especially renegade cells in Tulkarm, Jenin, and Nablus that do not recognize the cease-fire or obey Fatah's political leadership.
Kamel Ghanem, a senior Aksa Martyrs Brigades commander being sheltered in Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat's Mukata compound in Ramallah, continues to recruit and plot attacks with the help of the Iranian funding, the official said.
"We know without a doubt that Iran and Hizbullah in Lebanon are in contact with elements on the ground, issue orders, and send funds," he said. "Iran views Israel as the occupier of Islamic holy land, an emissary of the West, whose aim is to destroy Islam."
Iran has also given medical treatment to Palestinians wounded during the current conflict. During their "treatment," it recruited them to terrorist causes and gave them military training. Some of them, when they returned, participated in shooting attacks or became more active in local terrorist cells, the official said.
Iran also sends funds to the families of Palestinian "martyrs," such as suicide bombers. The funds are usually transferred via charity organizations, or sent with people traveling to the territories, he added.
Iran attempts to smuggle weapons into the region, the official said. Past smuggling attempts linked to Iran include:
The Lebanese fishing vessel, San Torini, intercepted by naval forces in May 2001 with weapons bound for the Gaza Strip;
The Karine A, intercepted by naval commandos in January 2002 with more than 50 tons of weapons intended for the territories;
The fishing trawler, Abu Hassan, seized by naval commandos last May, which had left Lebanon and was heading for the Gaza Strip loaded with bomb-making components and a batch of CDs with bomb-making instructions prepared by the Hizbullah.
Taking advantage of the current situation, Iran operates through two channels: Hizbullah in Lebanon, which attempts to establish contacts with Israeli Arabs and recruit foreigners to send on attacks in Israel; and the Revolutionary Guard, which has contacts with Tanzim members in the West Bank and Popular Resistance Committee groups in the Gaza Strip.
Most of the terrorist attacks since the hudna went into effect were carried out by Tanzim members who rely on Iranian assistance, the official said. Islamic Jihad remains the most prominent recipient of Iranian assistance, he said.
Hamas maintains its independence to a certain degree, but in recent years its ties with Iran have strengthened, the official said. Hamas relies heavily on funding it receives via charity organizations, schools, and orphanages.
The official said all terrorist organizations, especially Islamic Jihad and Hamas, are preparing for "the day after" the hudna. They are focussing on recruiting "new blood," appointing new leaders, purchasing weapons, improving infrastructure, and evaluating past activities.
Hamas in the Gaza Strip is expecting a delivery of smuggled weapons from Egypt, the official said. It has also intensified efforts to improve the range of Kassam rockets and to conduct military training for recruits, the official said.
Since the hudna was declared, three Israelis and a foreign worker have been killed and 20 civilians wounded in 178 terrorist attacks, including 118 shootings and 10 mortar attacks on Gaza Strip settlements.
Security forces have thwarted 36 terrorist attacks and arrested more than 75 terrorist suspects. Currently, there are 15 warnings of terrorist attacks, mainly in Samaria, according to security officials.
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