(Communicated by the Prime Minister’s Media Adviser)

On 7 March 2004, Muhammad Kna’aneh, 39, resident of Arrabe, Secretary-General of the Sons of the Village movement, and with a history of security offenses, and his brother Majad Husam Kna’aneh, 33, resident of Arrabe, a psychologist by profession, and a Sons of the Village activist, were arrested in a joint Israel Police-ISA operation.

The two were recruited by Ibrahim Ajwa, the Secretary-General of the Fatah-Abu Musa group in Jordan, who was acting on behalf of Hezbollah. Majad admitted that in recent months Ajwa had - on two occasions - asked him to transfer household electrical appliances to Jenin. Majad agreed to transfer the appliances to Anes Abdul Aziz, a Popular Front terrorist in Jenin (who is currently detained in Israel), but was arrested before he could do so. A check of the appliances revealed that computer memory components (SD cards) that contained information on the preparation of explosives and Hezbollah rockets, had been hidden inside. From Abdul Aziz and other sources, it has been learned that the electrical appliances, with the instructional materials, had been sent by Hezbollah to Muntassar Abu Alyoun, a Fatah terrorist in Jenin (who is currently detained in Israel), who was responsible for planning and perpetrating dozens of shooting attacks in the Jenin area on behalf of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.

Majad also admitted that Ajwa had asked him to buy detailed maps of Israel, and that he had actually purchased 24 such maps (which have been seized). On various occasions, Majad passed approximately $10,000-12,000 to his brother Muhammad in order to finance the cell’s activities.

Muhammad Kna’aneh admitted to being in contact with Ajwa and senior Popular Front terrorists both in Judea, Samaria and Gaza, and abroad.

The Haifa district of the State Prosecutor’s Office yesterday (Thursday), 4 March 2004, indictd the Kna’aneh brothers for a variety of severe security offenses.