Israeli indicted for recruiting on behalf of PA intelligence
East Jerusalem resident with Israeli citizenship suspected of holding senior posts in Palestinian Authority's General Intelligence Service since 2003, recruiting another Israeli to work as agent. Suspect indicted, with request to remain in custody until end of proceedings
The Jerusalem District prosecutor's office filed an indictment on Tuesday against Fahmi Shabaneh, a resident of the A-Tur neighborhood in the eastern part of the city and an Israeli citizen.
Shabaneh is accused of serving in a senior position in the Palestinian Authority's General Intelligence, despite his Israeli citizenship.
The suspect is also accused of recruiting Israeli residents as agents, and violating laws prohibiting citizens from joining foreign intelligence services or recruiting others to them.
According to the indictment for the past six years the 48-year-old Shabaneh served in high-ranking positions in the PA's General Intelligence Service.
Starting in 2003, Shabaneh is accused of serving as legal advisor to the PA, chief of operations in Hebron, and, for the past six months, as director of the service's internal security division.
According to the indictment, Shabaneh recruited an Israeli citizen by the name of Mutasam Abu Ganem, who lives in Jerusalem, as an informant for the General Intelligence.
Shabaneh ordered Abu Ganem to provide him with information regarding people suspected of collaborating with Israel, and the latter did so. .
Alongside the indictment, Prosecutor Jenny Ginsburg also filed a request that Shabaneh remain in custody until the end of proceedings.
Ginsburg argued that since it was the suspect poses a threat to the State's security and may evade legal proceedings against him and should therefore remain in custody.
