2 Israeli-Arab Hamas recruits arrested

Galilee residents suspected of being recruited to Hamas while they were studying dentistry in Romania between 1994 and 2003; Haifa District Prosecutor’s Office plans to indict suspects on charges of aiding enemy at time of war, contacts with foreign agent

Ynet reporters|Last update: 10.23.05 , 21:40

The Shin Bet and Israel Police last month arrested two Israeli-Arabs, residents of the Galilee, suspected of membership in the terror group Hamas, it was revealed Sunday.

Under the arrest warrant the suspects, Nazmi Hassin and Abed al-Salaam Zidan, are accused of having been recruited to Hamas in Romania, where they were studying dentistry, between 1994 and 2003. The indictment also accuses the two of having received training in Hamas camps abroad, where they received instructions from Hamas activists.

According to the Shin Bet, Hassin, 35, a resident of Nazareth, admitted to participating in Musilm prayers and study sessions that were held in a mosque in Romania, where speeches reciting Muslim Brotherhood ideology were presented by a local religious sheikh.

Hassin befriended the sheikh and one of his associates. He said during his interrogation that in 1994 he had met with the two in his apartment in Romania, where he was officially recruited to Hamas with the purpose of assisting the organization in carrying out terror acts against Israel and was also briefed in preparation for his training in Turkey.

Aiding the enemy at a time of war

Shin Bet reported that Hassin left for Turkey, where he and three other recruits underwent training in surveillance, intelligence gathering, coding and covert behavior. The exercises took place in Istanbul over the course of five days.

It is suspected that Hassin met with Zidan, a 36-year-old resident of Kfar Menda, and offered him to take part in security-related activity in Israel on behalf of a “clandestine Islamic organization.” Zidan, Shin Bet officials said, agreed to help.

Zidan said Hassin introduced him to a Hamas operative in Israel, adding that he was well-aware the activity focused on anti-Israel terror activity.

Shin Bet claims Zidan was used predominantly to seek flats designated for terror activity and recruit other Israeli-Arabs to Hamas.

The Haifa District Prosecutor’s Office plans to indict the two on charges of aiding the enemy at a time of war and contacting a foreign agent; the office is also expected to demand that the two be held in custody until the end of the proceedings.