Israeli forces capture Hezbollah cell that planned attacks in Israel

The border between Israel and Lebanon is a drug-running route controlled by the Hezbollah terror organization, and is also used for the smuggling of weapons. In this case, Israeli-Arab drug traffickers were recruited as terrorists.

Israel security forces captured a Hezbollah terror cell that operated in Israel and planned terror attacks in northern Israel, the Shin Bet (Israel’s Security Agency) announced Thursday.

The cell members, residents of the village Rajar which is situated on the border with Lebanon, were arrested in September, after a farmer in Metula, a town in Israel’s north, found several bombs in a bag while he was working in his field at the end of July. An investigation into the bombs led to the cell’s exposure.

The border between Israel and Lebanon is a drug-running route controlled by the Hezbollah terror organization, and is also used for the smuggling of weapons. In this case, Israeli-Arab drug traffickers were recruited as terrorists.

The terror cell, commanded by Diab Saed Jamil Kahamoz, a known drug dealer, was contacted by Hezbollah via Saed Kahamoz, Diab’s father, and they were tasked with preparing attacks in Israel and with the collection of intelligence deep inside the country.

Kahamoz senior, a well-known drug trafficker and Hezbollah operative, fled Israel in 2006 right after the Second Lebanon War. He served as a go-between Hezbollah and several of his sons who were active in the terror cell.

The cell communicated with the Shiite terror organization via encrypted email. Diab received two explosive charges in May that were smuggled through the fence and which he hid in a field near Metula. They were exposed by the farmer.

Diab was supposed to have collected more bombs from Hezbollah on the border in August.

Diab was asked to commit an attack in Haifa, and also contemplated attacking the nearby city of Nesher. He recruited his brothers Yosouf and Jamil, and finally settled for an attack on a popular bus stop used by soldiers on their way to their bases in the north on Sundays.

Diab’s brothers helped him communicate with Hezbollah and collect intelligence. The two burned the computer used by Diab after his arrest and prior to their own arrest.

Other cell members included Adel Oyaneat who was connected to Diab’s smuggling operation and smuggled night-vision goggles to Hezbollah in 2007.

Mohsan Kahamoz, Diab’s relative, purchased the computer used by Diab and helped him communicate with Hezbollah.

Mamduh Ibrahim helped Diab pass messages to Hezbollah and was involved in Diab’s drug trafficking operation.

The seven were charged in court with espionage, contact with a foreign agent, assisting the enemy at a time of war, and the production and trafficking of illegal weapons.

By: Aryeh Savir, World Israel News

Drug traffickingHezbollahIsraeli ArabsRajar