(Communicated by Israeli security sources)

During a joint IDF, ISA, and Border Police activity last night, 24 January 2006 in Ramallah, forces arrested Abdullah Arar, 30, a Hamas terrorist. Arar, a resident of the village of Qarawat Bani Zeid, northwest of Ramallah, was involved in the abduction and murder of Sasson Nuriel, an Israeli civilian who was kidnapped into Ramallah by a Hamas terror cell on 21 September 2005.

Arar and Nuriel had been acquainted for several years prior to Nuriel's abduction, and Arar worked for Nuriel for a certain period of time. Arar personally planned the abduction, including encouraging Nuriel to enter Ramallah, and was directly involved in the murder.

During the month of September 2005, members of the terror cell responsible for the abduction of Nuriel were arrested by the security forces. In their questioning, they provided details regarding the planning of Nuriel's abduction and additional terrorist attacks that they were planning. Information provided in the questioning shows that the cell responsible for abducting Nuriel had been operating under the direction and guidance of members of Hamas terror infrastructure in the Gaza Strip.