Hamas suspect arrested in Israel upon return from abroad

A Hamas suspect arrested in February was recruited by the terror organization overseas. 

The IDF and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) conducted a joint operation on February 26 in which they arrested a member of the Hamas terrorist organization suspected of planning a number of terror attacks against Israel.

The terrorist, Malik Nazar Yusef Kazmar, hails from an area near the Palestinian town of Kalkilya in western Samaria. However, he was recruited by Hamas while living abroad in recent years, having spent significant time in the Turkish-occupied portion of Cyprus.

“It was learned that Kazmar, who lived in Turkish Cyprus in recent years, was recruited by Hamas in August 2015 while he was in Jordan,” the Shin Bet said in a statement.

“In January 2016, he was sent to a military camp in Syria where he underwent firearms training and was instructed in the manufacture of IEDs,” the Shin Bet added.

Before returning to Samaria, Kazmar was directed by Hamas members in Istanbul, Turkey, to recruit other Palestinians within Judea and Samaria into Hamas. Immediately upon his return, he was arrested by Israeli authorities.

The Shin Bet also secured a memory card from Kazmar that was was given to him by his Hamas contacts in Istanbul, which contained encrypted material detailing a set of instructions.

Kazmar was officially indicted in Samaria’s Military Court last week for a number of security offenses.

“The foregoing underscores the activity of Hamas‘ overseas headquarters, including on Turkish soil, at the behest of Saleh Arouri, the head of the organization’s West Bank office,'” the Shin Bet said.

“The Hamas leadership continues to make use of militants returning to Judea and Samaria in order to perpetrate acts of terrorism, even as its senior figures operate unhindered in various countries.”

By: Jonathan Benedek, World Israel News

HamasIDFKalkilyaSamariaShin Bet