(IDF Spokesperson)

In a joint IDF and ISA operation earlier this morning, forces arrested 18 wanted Palestinians in the Headquarters of the Palestinian Military Intelligence in Ein Umm Al Shrayet, used for a long time as a hiding place for wanted Tanzim operatives.

 In recent years, wanted Tanzim operatives from villages in the area have routinely used the structures of the different security apparatuses of the Palestinian Authority as hiding places from Israeli security forces, and as bases of operations from which they were dispatched for terrorist attacks and to which they returned afterwards. The structures used include the Muqataa, the two Military Intelligence Headquarters in Ein Umm Al Shrayet and in the Arassal neighborhood, and the General Intelligence Headquarters in Ein Umm Al Shrayet.

Israel has frequently contacted the leaders of the Palestinian Authority (most recently in January) regarding the use of the Headquarters for terrorist activity. The Palestinian Authority was repeatedly requested to hand the men over to Israeli authorities or at the very least remove them from the compound, but to no avail. In the light of this, the IDF was forced to take action.

In the past four months alone, Tanzim operatives have carried out approximately 25 shooting attacks against civilians working on Israel's security fence and against IDF forces, injuring six Israelis. These and other attacks were directed - some even carried out - by the wanted men who have been hiding in the Headquarters of the Palestinian Military Intelligence.

Following is information on several of the arrested men: 

• Khalil Yussef Mahammed Shilo, 39, is one of the Tanzim leaders in Ramallah. Shilo directed a shooting attack in the area of Ras Karkar on October 8th 2006.
  
• Yuness Jamal Yuness Kafri, 24, and his brother, Taar JamalYuness Kafri, 26, are residents of the Al Amari R.C. The two carried out shooting attacks against security guards of the security fence and IDF forces in Ramallah. Additionally, they are both involved in an attempt to abduct an Israeli civilian.
  
• Nader Ismail Jibrin Abu Zidia, 24, resident of the Qalandiya R.C., was involved in an attempt to abduct an Israeli civilian. Zidia was also involved in a shooting attack carried out in January, in which an Israeli soldier was injured.
  
• Muhammad Darwish Ummar Kurdi, a 21 year-old resident of Beituniya, along with other operatives, carried out shooting attacks against IDF forces and Border Policemen, in one of which a Border Policeman was injured.
  
• Kammal Jamil Mahmud Abu Shaneb, 33, was involved in recruiting Tanzim operatives, and in the abduction and murder of a man suspected in cooperation with Israel.
  
• Murrad Ahmad Rashid Saad, 27, resident of the Al Amari R.C. was involved in a shooting attack against IDF and Israeli Police forces in 2005, in which two soldiers and a policeman were injured. Saad was also a member of a terror cell which intended to carry out attacks funded by operatives in the Gaza Strip.
  
• Mahmud Muhammad Hassin Daud, a 38 year-old is a resident of Dir Gassana and an operative of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. In 2003 Daud supplied a Tanzim terrorist with an AK-47 assault rifle which, he claims, served the terrorist in a shooting attack in the area of the Trans-Samaria road. In 2004 Daud was involved in the abduction and murder of a man suspected of cooperation with Israel.