WarSclerotic

Shin Bet gleans vast tunnel data from Hamas member, Jerusalem Post, Yaakov Lappin, May 5, 2016

(Video at the link. — DM)

The Shin Bet Intelligence agency announced on Thursday that it had obtained a treasure trove of information after capturing a Hamas member who snuck into Israel with the intention of killing Israelis in April.

Mahmoud Atauna, 29, of Jabaliya in Gaza, was arrested on April 16 after infiltrating Israel. He was in possession of two knives, and during subsequent questioning, “it emerged that he intended to murder soldiers or civilians that he happened to encounter in Israeli territory,” said the Shin Bet.

The investigation also resulted in much information being gleaned about Hamas’s tunnel activities, the agency added. Atauna was involved in the military wing’s activities, including planting bombs against IDF forces, and mostly, in tunnel activities during recent years.

“During questioning, Atauna pointed to many digging centers, and to tunnel shafts that are supposed to serve the Nuhba (Hamas’s elite unit) operatives for attacks during fighting with Israel,” it stated.

“Atauna said Hamas set up a network of tunnels branching out in Gaza for the passage of fighters and weapons. The tunnel network includes waiting rooms and has showers and dining tables, to improve the living conditions of Hamas fighters,” according to the Shin Bet.

The Izzadin Al-Kassam member provided the names of “many operatives who worked with him in the eastern battalion of Hamas’s northern brigade, and received information on the use of hospitals and civilians for the storage of weapons.” The investigation also revealed that Atauna’s home was a storage center for many weapons, including bombs, assault rifles, and suicide bomb vests, which he was supposed to distribute before a conflict broke out.

“Atauna is one of a series of military Hamas members who are under Shin Bet investigation at this time, and these investigations have revealed a lot of internal information on Hamas’s activities in tunnels,” the Shin Bet said.

Southern District prosecutors have charged the suspect at the Beersheva District Court.

This entry was posted on May 5, 2016 at 4:59 PM and is filed under Defense of Israel, Gaza, Hamas, Shin Bet, Terror tunnels. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments.

Tags: Defense of Israel, Gaza, Hamas, Shin Bet, terror tunnels