(Communicated by the IDF Spokesman)
In a joint IDF and ISA activity for the arrest of wanted terrorists in the city of Jenin this morning, March 16, 2006, in which an IDF soldier was killed, the forces arrested four wanted Islamic Jihad terrorists and two wanted Tanzim operatives.
The four wanted Islamic Jihad terrorists arrested were members of the organization's terror infrastructure in the Jenin area, responsible for the five suicide bombing attacks carried out in Israel in 2005, in which 21 Israeli civilians were murdered, an IDF officer was killed, and hundreds of Israeli civilians were wounded. This infrastructure has recently been operating to carry out additional terrorist attacks against Israel. An IDF soldier, Staff Sergeant Ido Shapira, was killed by gunfire during the arrest activity today.
The Islamic Jihad terror cell in the northern West Bank executed the following five serious suicide bombing attacks in Israel during the year 2005:
Following are the wanted Islamic Jihad terrorists and Tanzim operatives arrested in the activity:
Ahmed Jamal Awad Abu Hassin, 25, from the city of Jenin, member of the Jenin Islamic Jihad infrastructure, operated in close cooperation with Nahed Abu Ganem and Nidal Abu Sa'ade, senior wanted Islamic Jihad terrorists who were killed in IDF operations during the past months. In the recent past Hassin acted along with other members of the infrastructure to carry out terror attacks against Israel. Abu Hassin had recently been operating in close contact with senior wanted terrorists from Jenin and Tulkarm. He was known to have weaponry in his possession, and was responsible for numerous shooting attacks against IDF forces operating in the region.
Fadi Ali Ahmed Darbi, 21, from the city of Jenin, a wanted Islamic Jihad terrorist, was in the past a member of the Tanzim infrastructure, and in the past few months operated in close cooperation with senior Islamic Jihad terrorists. Darbi was also involved in directing and planning suicide bombing attacks in Israel.
Hassin Gamil Hussein Akhash, 24, resident of Jenin, a wanted Islamic Jihad terrorist and formerly a Tanzim operative, carried out numerous shooting attacks against IDF forces. Akhash was also involved in weaponry trade, and maintained close ties with senior wanted Islamic Jihad terrorists.
Dragam Aleb Tzadek Sa'adia, 31, resident of Jenin, a wanted Islamic Jihad terrorist and former Tanzim operative, maintained close contacts with Nahed Abu Ganem, a senior wanted Islamic Jihad terrorist who was killed in a security forces activity. Sa'adia was involved in the transfer of explosive devices and weaponry and maintained close connections with top Tanzim operatives in the city of Jenin.
Mahmad Taufik Ahmed Kandil, 31, a wanted Tanzim operative from the city of Jenin, is a weaponry dealer on a large scale basis, who has carried out numerous shooting attacks at IDF forces operating in the vicinity of Jenin.
Ahmed Bassam Suliman Aruck, 20, was arrested after assisting the infrastructure and hiding the aforementioned wanted terrorists in his residence prior to their arrest.
During a subsequent search conducted in the structure where the wanted terrorists had been hiding, the following weapons were uncovered: two AK-47 assault rifles, two handguns, two hand grenades, and a number of AK-47 ammunition clips.