Palestinian who planned to kidnap soldier gets 10 years
Said Muhsan convicted of joining 'Shahid Brigades' group, planning to kidnap soldier to Gaza Strip in order to demand release of prisoner in exchange
The Beersheba District Court sentenced Said Muhsan, a 29-year-old Palestinian man from Gaza, to 10 years in prison Tuesday after he was convicted of being involved in a plot to kidnap an IDF soldier to the Gaza Strip.
In 2006, Muhsan conspired to kidnap a soldier from an outpost on the border fence together with two members of the "Shahid Brigades" organization. The three planned to demand the release of Akram Salame Said, the brother of the two militants, who is serving a prison sentence in Israel, in exchange for the soldier.
The verdict suggests that Muhsan trained with weapons with a senior element in the organization and joined the group. He collected information on the movement of IDF forces in the area. A day prior to the abduction Muhsan obtained a anaesthetizing spray and was also instructed to carry handcuffs in case he manages to capture two soldiers.
The three decided that one of them will wait on the other side of the fence while the other two will cross the border into Gaza and transfer the soldier to their house.
On the day of the planned operation, the three observed IDF activity in the outposts surrounding the border fence. Muhsan returned hour an half later and told his partners he cannot carry out the plan due to the forces' movement. His partners were outraged and demanded that he pay for the weapons he used.
'Serious repercussions'
Muhsan was convicted of contact with a foreign agent, conspiracy to commit a crime, forbidden military training, membership in a terrorist organization, espionage, possession of weapons and attempted kidnapping.
The prosecutor, attorney Moran Gas stated that it was not the defendant's compunction that prevented the abduction but the security forces' presence in the area. "Had the defendant's evil plan been carried out it would have had serious repercussions as we have witnessed since the adduction of Gilad Shalit."
Judge Revital Yaffe-Katz, who also sentenced Muhsan to an additional year in probation, noted that the severity of the offences warrant stern punishment as well as "the obligation to deter others from committing such crimes in the future."
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