(Communicated by Israel security sources)

In a joint activity of the IDF and security forces today, June 23, 2004, in Nablus, forces arrested Muhanad Mahmoud Mohammed Abu Aisha, a senior Islamic Jihad terrorist field commander for the Nablus area and an explosive expert. 

Abu Aisha was born in 1980 and was a resident of the Beit Dajan village. During the arrest operation, one of his assistants, Shadi Haled Mahmoud Salim of Salfit, born in 1978, was shot and killed when he attempted to  draw a pistol and fire at the forces.

Abu Aisha was responsible for the production of explosive belts used by suicide bombers of the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization from Nablus.

Furthermore, Abu Aisha is one of the key figures within the Islamic Jihad involved in attempts to carry out suicide bombing attacks inside Israel over the last months, which were thwarted by the security forces.

In addition, Abu Aisha was responsible for directing numerous shooting attacks in the area of Nablus and on roads near Tulkarm, as well as for the production of numerous explosive devices which were activated against IDF soldiers in Nablus.