Israel Matzav

IDF demolishes teen killers' homes

The IDF has demolished the home of Husam Kawasmeh, the mastermind of the kidnapping and murder of Gilad Shaar, Naftali Frenkel and Eyal Yifrach, HY"D (May God Avenge their blood) in June, and the home of Amar Abu Aysha, one of the terrorists who carried out the attack. Abu Aysha and Marwan Kawasmeh, the other terrorist who carried out the attack, have not yet been found.

According to a statement by the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, the homes of terrorists Hussam Kawasmeh and Amar Abu-Eisha were demolished. The home of a third terrorist, Marwan Kawasmeh, was sealed.

The operation was carried out “as part of the ongoing fight against terrorism and its infrastructure, in accordance with the decision of the head of Central Command, Gen. Nitzan Alon, and after three petitions on the issue were rejected by the Supreme Court,” the statement said.

“Demolishing the homes of the terrorists sends a serious and deterring message to terrorists and their accomplices, that there is a price to pay if they choose to continue their terrorist activities and attacks on innocent people,” the statement continued. “The security forces - the IDF, the Shin Bet and the Israel Police - are continuing the search for the kidnappers.”

“The IDF will continue to take all available legal means to harm terrorists and their supporters, and discourage further attacks,” it concluded.

Hussam Kawasmeh, a resident of Hevron, was recently arrested in the Arab neighborhood of Shuafat in Jerusalem in a joint operation involving IDF forces and the Shabak (Israel Security Agency), and has admitted under interrogation to having orchestrated the kidnapping and said he received funding from Hamas officials in Gaza.

I don't understand why they didn't demolish Marwan Kawasmeh's home as well. 

JPost adds:

Special forces of the IDF's Engineering Corps destroyed the home of Husam al-Qawasmi the 'mastermind' behind the kidnapping and murder of Gil-Ad Shaer, Eyal Yifrah and Naftali Fraenkel.

Al-Qawasmi is suspected of giving the mid-June order to Marwan al-Qawasmi and Amir Abu Aisha to kidnap teenagers.

According to the state, Husam confessed not only that he gave the orders, but also that he collected weapons and raised funding for the attack by the Hamas cell.

In addition, Husam assisted Marwan in concealing the bodies by burying them on land he had bought in recent months.

Husam was attempting to flee the area and disappear across the Jordanian border with false documents subsequent to the bodies being found when he was caught on July 11.

The state said the evidence it had was at the level of a near certainty, having interrogated Husam and collected other evidence.

I don't know how much of a deterrent home destruction is but it's better than nothing.

Labels: Hebron, kidnapping, murder, Palestinian terrorism

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:34 AM