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Photo: Raanan Ben-Zur
Refuses to recognize Israel. Tamimi
Photo: Raanan Ben-Zur
Photo: Raanan Ben-Zur
Not excited by PA elections. Muna
Photo: Raanan Ben-Zur

Sbarro terrorist 'not sorry'

Prison tour of female terrorists who helped bomb attack on restaurant and the kidnap and murder of a teenager finds unrepentant prisoners who vow to be released from jail

Ahlam Tamimi, the terrorist who was sentenced to 16 life terms in jail for her involvement in the terrorist attack on the Sbarro Pizzeria in Jerusalem in August 2001 said "I'm not sorry for what I did. We'll become free from the occupation and then I will be free from prison."

 

Tamimi drove the suicide bomber to the restaurant, where he carried out the attack. Today she is jailed at the Hasharon Prison, together with 106 other female security prisoners, 58 of them in the prison wing for prisoners belonging to Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and other terrorist organizations, while another 48 prisoners belong to Fatah.

 

The media are not usually allowed to talk with the prisoners, but on Sunday, Tamimi, who belongs to Hamas, took advantage of the opportunity to send a belligerent and unequivocal message.

 

"Hamas has principles in connection with discussion with Israel," she said. "Hamas wants to reach accomplishments without giving up on Palestine. I'm not sorry for what I did. I will get out of prison and I refuse to recognize Israel's existence. Discussions will only take place after Israel recognizes that this is Islamic land. Despite the fact that I'm sentenced to 16 life sentences I know that we will become free from Israeli occupation and then I will also be free from the prison," she said.

 

One of the dominant prisoners in the Sharon prison is Amana Muna, sentenced to life in jail after luring an Israeli teenager, Ofir Nahum, via the internet, to his murder by terrorists.

 

Muna controls the female Fatah prison wing vociferously, and is considered as the spokeswoman of the prisoners. She also frequently causes problems for Prisons Authority personnel.

 

Sharon Block Commander and senior prison ward Nazim Saviti said: "Amana tries all the time to lead a militant line, and controls the prisoners to the point that she forces herself on them. Because of her extreme behavior, she has been transferred to a separate cell, and for the last two weeks she has again been in the wing, and is calmer, after signing a commitment to stop her extreme behavior."

 

At the entrance to the Fatah wing we found Muna together with other prisoners, who form the "wing cell," and who take charge of the cleaning and distribution of food and necessities.

 

However while most prisoners guard their modesty and cover their heads according to Islam, Amana walks around the wing wearing jeans and with scattered hair, while monitoring everyone who speaks to journalists.

 

'You'll see me on the outside in the end'

 

As a Fatah terrorist, she is not excited by the latest elections in the PA. "It didn't really make an influence; it's everyone's authority and there's no difference between Fatah and Hamas."

 

The fact that since the Hamas victory Amana has stopped receiving money for personal necessities transferred to her by the PA does not bother her: "Since the results, we haven't received a canteen, but I don't know if that makes a difference. In the meantime we have our money from the Authority (transferred before the elections) and from the families, and there is food from the Prisons Authority."

 

At the end of the conversation Muna makes clear that she is not sorry about what she did, and does not want to send a message to Nahum’s family.

 

"We want to live in peace but they're not giving us the chance. I didn't do what I did for myself. It was something else and I don't want to talk about it. With God's help I'll get out of prison. There is a God above, there are negotiations; you'll see me on the outside in the end." 

 


פרסום ראשון: 03.27.06, 00:49
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