Qassam rocket (Archive photo)
Photo: Amir Cohen
Palestinian nabbed for aiding terror groups
Palestinian man arrested last month accused of importing pipes from Israel into Gaza used in making Qassam rockets
A Palestinian man was arrested last month for supplying materials used in making Qassam rockets to terror groups in the Gaza Strip, security officials confirmed Sunday.
The General Security Agency, also known as the Shin Bet, said Amer Zak, 37, of the Gaza Strip, purchased pipes and other metal materials from Israeli companies and then sold them to lathe owners who manufactured makeshift rockets on behalf of Hamas.
Israeli pipes exported to the Gaza Strip (Photo: Security Forces)
Officials said the Palestinian man gave details of his activities while in remand.
"The pipes that Zak sold to Hamas' production apparatus are an example of how raw materials imported from Israel for humanitarian purposes and for civil use are used to produce weapons," a Shin Bet statement said.
Palestinian terror groups frequently fire Qassam rockets at Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip.
Last year, the Israeli army imposed restrictions on the numbers and calibers of pipes exported from Israel into Strip, in an attempt to stem the supply of raw materials used in making rockets.
The Shin Bet said the restrictions imposed were effective, charging that an order of wide-caliber pipes placed by Zak two months ago failed to it make through an Israeli-controlled border crossing.
