Hamas Terrorist Captured in
ISA - Israel Defense Forces Operation
By Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency
Jerusalem ----September 18...... The following was communicated
by the Israel Prime Minister's Office and the Israel Government
Press Office to the Israel News Agency.
The
Israel Security Agency and the Israel Defense Forces, in a joint
operation on 31.7.07, apprehended Hamas terrorist Khader Hashem
Khader Shkeir, from the village of Ein Arik, on suspicion of
planning a terrorist attack on Israel tourists in Jordan.
Shkeir,
born 1982, has admitted to having planned the attack during
a visit to Jordan in 2005, with his accomplice and fellow Muslim
Brotherhood terrorist Shadi Dabaa. After having observed various
possible targets, the suspects choose the Radisson SAS Hotel
in Amman and one additional hotel nearby as their preferred
targets for the terror attack.
The
two terrorists planned to board a bus carrying tourists to the
hotels and perpetrate a mass shooting spree in order to murder
as many from Israel as possible. To this end, they purchased
two AK-47's automatic assault rifles and trained in their use.
Their
plans went awry when Shkeir was apprehended by the Jordan security
forces on suspicion of being a member of the Muslim Brotherhood
and was deported to the Judea and Samaria regions of Israel.
Once there he was recruited by
Hamas and conducted terror operations for one of its cells.
The
Israel security forces are continuing to act against Shkeir's
Hamas accomplices.
An
indictment against Shkeir has been presented in the Jerusalem
Magistrates Court in Israel.
As
Israel's security forces continue to defend it's civilian population
against Islamic terror attacks, an IDF paratrooper made the
ultimate sacrifice today. St.-Sgt. Ben-Zion Heneman, 22, from
Nov in the southern Golan Heights was killed this morning, during
an exchange of fire with Palestinian terrorists in the Ein Beit
Ilma refugee camp in Nablus. An additional soldier was lightly
injured at the time.
The
IDF operation was launched in response to several intelligence
warnings, regarding intended terror attacks on Israelis during
the Jewish holidays. During the night, the IDF ordered a closure
of the refugee camp.
Palestinian
terrorists fired on the soldiers in at least ten separate incidents,
leading to repeated gun battles between the two sides. It was
during one of these clashes that the soldier was killed and
his comrade wounded from shrapnel.
The
Israel security operation today was targeting Hamas and PFLP
members in the refugee camp, whom the IDF says are working jointly
in order to plan terror attacks. Due to the increased terror
warnings, the Israel Defense Forces have entered the camp the
past several nights in order to arrest wanted terrorists.