Gaza metals trader arrested for funneling money and iron to Hamas
A Gaza metals trader, who had permission to enter Israel, has been arrested and charged with funneling millions of dollars - and tons of scrap iron - to Hamas in Gaza.
Security forces have named the suspect as 41-year-old Maher Abu Gava, adding that he had been able to enter and trade in Israel with permission in the past.
Abu Gava had more than $100,000 in his possession during the arrest.
“He has confessed, during questioning, to transferring funds to Hamas and selling large quantities of metals to Hamas’s military wing,” the Shin Bet said in a statement.
Abu Gava told the Shin Bet Hamas was experiencing difficulties in bringing cash from Egypt to Gaza, adding that his metal business was used by Hamas to move around money.
But “since the election of Mohamed Morsi to the presidency in Egypt, Hamas has been able to bring cash to Gaza with greater ease, through senior Hamas members who enter Egypt via the Rafah crossing, and who return with suitcases filled with cash.”
The Shin Bet said that he acted as a “central channel for transferring millions of dollars in cash to Hamas.” Hamas members abroad allegedly sent millions of dollars to Abu Gava’s relatives in Egypt, ostensibly for metal transactions, and Abu Gava then handed the money over to Hamas representatives in Gaza.
Sources in the security forces said the case highlights how Hamas exploits Israel’s policy of allowing Gaza traders to enter Israel on a daily basis, and how metals meant for construction end up serving Hamas’s military wing.The guy is a commodities trader and he was probably being funded by our friends at CAIR.
Read the whole thing. By the way, the dollar amounts and quantities of iron cited are small potatoes for people in that business (yes, I've represented some). I suspect there's a lot more involved.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:14 AM
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