Israel Matzav

New details on teens' kidnapping and murder emerge

An indictment was filed on Thursday against Hussam Kawasme, the ringleader of the plot to kidnap and murder Gilad Shaar, Naftali Frenkel and Eyal Yifrach HY"D (May God Avenge their blood). With the indictment come more details that make it clear that this was not a spontaneous or lone wolf operation.

Hussam's interrogation, as well as those of a number of other arrested suspects, revealed that he had played a fundamental part in the kidnapping, and served as its mastermind and overall coordinator of the entire terrorist "operation". In that capacity, he secured some 200,000 shekels from his Gaza-based brother and Hamas operative Mahmoud to fund the attack.

The money was used, among other things, to purchase the car used in the abductions, which was later found burned out, near Hevron, together with spent bullet casings and traces of blood.

The money was also used to buy weapons - two pistols and two assault rifles - which were given to Marwan Kawasmeh prior to the attack. Hussam received those weapons from another Hamas terrorist in Hevron, Adnan Mohammed Azzat Zaro.

Also under interrogation, it was revealed that immediately after the murders Marwan went to Hussam, who helped him to take the bodies to a field the latter had purchased several month before in preparation for the killings. After burying the bodies in a shallow grave, he then helped Marwan and Amar Abu-Eisha to find a place to hide.

Security forces also extracted the names of several other terrorists involved in the abduction and murder, including two brothers. One of them, 50-year-old Hevron resident Arafat Ibrahim Mohammed Kawasmeh, admitted after his arrest to helping hide the suspects. The second - 64-year-old Ahmed Ibrahim Mohammed Kawasmeh - confessed that Marwan had turned to him prior to the attack to secure him safe passage in advance to Palestinian Authority-controlled territory, and that he had referred him to his brother Arafat.

With the conclusion of the interrogation process, the suspects cases have been transferred to the Judea and Samaria prosecutor, who will be pressing charges.

For the record, 200 Shekels is approximately $56,000 at today's exchange rates. Not exactly chump change. 

Labels: Hamas, kidnapping, murder, Palestinian terrorism

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:07 PM