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Islamic Jihad leader in Samaria to face charges in Israeli court

Al-Sa’adi holds very important information about all the terrorist activities of the Islamic Jihad in the Samaria area and is believed to be behind the terror organizations’ unification and intensification in recent months.

By Aryeh Savir, TPS

Sheikh Bassam al-Saadi, the leader of the Islamic Jihad in the Samaria region who was arrested at the beginning of August, will face an indictment on terrorism offense in an Israeli military court.

Al-Saadi’s arrest was the reason for the terror organization’s threats against Israel that led to Operation Breaking Dawn.

The IDF stated Sunday that the Shin Bet’s investigation of the leader of the Islamic Jihad in Jenin – on suspicion of committing crimes that constitute membership and performing service for a banned association, as well as incitement and support for terrorism – has ended.

The material of the investigation has been forwarded for consideration to the military prosecution, which stated that it intends to file an indictment against al-Saadi.

The military court granted the request of the military prosecution and extended his detention by five days, until August 25.

Al-Sa’adi holds very important information about all the terrorist activities of the Islamic Jihad in the Samaria area and is believed to be behind the terror organizations’ unification and intensification in recent months. He was arrested by Israeli Special Forces on August 1, amid a heavy gun battle in Jenin.

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In response to his arrest, the Islamic Jihad threatened to retaliate against Israel, and after four days of tensions and a state of high alert in the south, the IDF launched the 55-hour-long Operation Breaking Dawn against the Gaza-based terror organization that left about 25 terrorists dead, including two of its top commanders.

Taysir al-Jabari, commander of the Islamic Jihad’s northern division, was eliminated on the first day of the three-day offensive, and the commander of the southern division, Khaled Mansour, was eliminated the next evening. Khatab ‘Amasi, Islamic Jihad’s commanding officer of the Rafah Brigade,  and Ziad Madalal, Mansour’s deputy, were also killed in the strikes.

The Islamic Jihad leadership demanded the release of several prisoners held by Israel, including al-Sa’adi, as a condition for the ceasefire. Israel has rejected the demands.