The PNA commits a series of arrests following the bombing in
Following the suicide bombing committed by Muhammad Abdallah (a member in the Islamic Opposition), which took place at 7 in the morning on 29/10/98, the Palestinian security forces (The General Intelligence (GI) and the Preventive Security Service (PSS), accompanied by the Civil police) made a series of arrests on leaders and members from Hamas and al-Khalas National Islamic Group. The arrests were executed on a random basis. According to the families of those wanted, the security forces were going to homes, asking about the person they wanted to arrest. If that person was not home, a summon was left for him, stating that he needed to turn himself in immediately. Prior to the arrests, lists of persons were prepared with names of people wanted, among them people who have been abroad, such as Ayman Abu Naqira.
The series of arrests began at
Ahmad al-Kurd, director of the Islamic Salah Society, said that on Friday 30/10/98, he received a summon to turn himself in to the GI. He turned himself in on Friday afternoon.
It is important to mention that the GI and the PSS did not organize among themselves when they started the series of arrests. On Friday evening, 20/10/98, the GI arrived to the home of Dr. Ghazi Hamad, director of Al-Risalah newspaper. He was not at home, so they left him a summon to immediately turn himself in to the GI once he returns. That same night, at 2:30 in the morning, the PSS arrived to the same home to arrest the doctor, but he was still no home. His wife stated that the PSS left him a summon to report to their headquarters in Rafah immediately.
Sheikh Ahmad Yassin:
On 29/10/98, the PNA imposed a house arrest on Hamas leader Ahmad Yassin (62). Dozens of policemen under the control of Ghazi al-Jabali were found by his home. They surrounded the house and took control of the entrances leading to the house that is situated in Jorat al-Shams neighborhood south of Gaza. Policemen were investigating ID’s of people going heading in the direction of Yassin’s home. On the first day of his house arrest, Sheikh Yassin stated that none of the official parties informed him about the house arrest. He asked human rights organizations to stop the PNA. The PNA did not release a written memo on the decision to place Yassin under house arrest.
On 30/10/98, the police were still at his home. He was not allowed to leave to go to Friday prayers at a nearby mosque. While searching his home, the policemen, among them policewomen, told him that he is under house arrest, and he is not allowed to leave for any reason. The police cut off his phone lines, and his personal bodyguards were arrested.
Thursday 29/10/98:
A few hours following the bombing in Ghosh Qatif in the center of Gaza, the PNA conducted a series of arrests. Attorney Muhammad Farraj al-Ghul (40) from al-Shati refugee camp, and Dr. Muhammad Shahab from Jabalia (both members of the national Islamic Khalas group) was also arrested. Sheikh Ahmad Bahr, head of Shurah Committee of al-Khalas group, from al-Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza, was also arrested.
The police conducted summons for Dr. Ahmad al-Zahhar and Sheikh Muhammad Hasan Shama’a and engineer Ibrahim Abu Shanab and Professor Isamai’il al-Jaa’bari, and Issam Judeh and Munir Qteifan.
On Friday 30/10/98, Ismai’il Haniyyah from Hamas and Sheikh Nafez ‘Azzam from Rafah (Jihad Islamic Group) were released.
On 29/10/98, the PNA arrested Yunis al-Astal, dean of al-Sharif college in the Islamic University, and Suleiman al-Dayah, a professor at the Islamic University, and Sheikh Ahmad Nimer Hmeidan. All of them are from Khan Yunis.
Arrests in Rafah 30/10/98
|
1. Mahmoud al-Hashash (55) – teacher |
2. Idriss Barhum |
3. Hasan al-Namleh |
|
4. Ghaned al-Hashash (35) – teacher – released after hours |
5. Ghaleb Nassrallah |
6. Yihyah Khaffajah |
|
7. Samir al-‘Abs (summoned but did not turn himself in) |
8. ‘Attallah Abu al-Sabh |
9. Nasser Bahum |
|
10. Ghazi Hamad (summoned but did not turn himself in) |
11. Muhammad al-Zatmeh |
12. Ismat Hassan |
|
13. Ayman Abu Naqira (summoned) |
14. Ahmad Zuurub |
15. Ayman Zuurub |
|
16. Khamis Hasan Abu Zeid |
17. Nasser Mashayekh |
18. Muhammad Harb |
|
19. Muhyi Eldin al-Saiidi |
20. Riyad al-Ashqar |
21. Rashid Madi |
|
22. Ibrahim Abu Shabikeh |
23. Jasser al-Mashukhi |
24. Ahmad Abu Hmeid |
|
25. Nabhan Abu Jamus |
26. Sami al-Hamaydeh |
27. Midhat Juma’a |
|
28. Muhammad Abu Naqira |
29. Nathir Madi |
30. Sai’id al-Maghari |
|
31. Maher Abu Irmanah |
32. Ra’fat al-‘Aloul |
|
Arrests in Central Gaza and other areas
|
1. Sheikh Hammad al-Hasnat (65) – head of the Islamic society |
2. Sheikh Abdulfattah Dukhan (70) – did not turn himself in |
3. Abdul Rahim al-Khatib (55) |
|
4. Ismaii’l Ismaii’l (35) |
5. Ismaii’l al-Dirawi (30) |
6. Sheikh Ahmad Nimer (60) from Khan Yunis |
|
7. Muhammad Hajjaj (35) from Khan Yunis |
8. Suleiman al-Dayeh- university professor from Gaza |
9. Ahmad al-Kurd – head of al-Islah society in Deir al-Balah |
|
10. Ahmad al-Aziz (30) |
11. Nabil Abu al-Atta |
12. Muhammad Abu al-Atta |
|
13. Iyyad Masmah |
14. Ashraf al-Hasnat |
15. Abu Uwaimer |
|
16. Kamal al-Najjar |
17. Mahmoud Abu al-Atta |
18. Jamil Shabaneh from Rafah |
|
19. Muhammad Shahab |
20. Abdulkarim al-Nameh |
21. Amer Issa |
|
22. Muhammad al-baghdadi |
23. Yusef Abu Ilayyan |
24. Dr. Ibrahim al-Yazuri |
|
25. Dr. Maher al-Ghazzal |
26. Mahmoud al-Imyawi |
27. Rami Khreis from Khan Yunis |
|
28. Alaa Daoud |
29. Ayman Judeh |
30. Munib Awwad |
|
31. Muhammad Syam |
32. Mahmoud al-Zutmeh from Rafah |
33. Muhammad al-Zutmeh from Rafah |
|
34. Yihyah Khafajeh from Rafah |
35. Hamza Rayyan |
36. Mahmoud Abu Hamam |
|
37. Mushir al-Habel |
38. Irfah al-Massri |
39. Izz Eldin al-Dahnun |
|
40. Khamis al-Habel |
41. Atta al-Massri |
42. Bilal Qumsieh |
|
43. Fathi Hammad |
44. Hasan Al-Mabhuh |
45. Khader Masoud |
|
46. Abdul Rahman Timraz |
47. Usama al-Aloul |
48. Ra’ed al-Liddawi |
|
49. Sai’id Sha’aban |
50. Hani al-Najjar |
51. Muhammad al-Hinnawi |
|
52. Saed al-Qanu |
53. Kamal Khalifeh |
54. Abdulfattah al-Satri |
|
55. Fathi Abu Moussa |
56. Salem Abu Ma’aruf |
57. Naji al-Alami |
|
58. Hasan al-Alami |
59. Nizar Rayyan |
60. Abdulkarim al-Jaabir |
|
61. Abdulnasser Abu Zaydeh |
62. Dr. Mahmoud Abu Shahab |
63. Shadi Abu Labban |
|
64. Shadi al-Arin |
65. Hazem Farajallah |
66. Abdullatif Rayan |
|
67. Ashraf Dahlan |
|
|
Arrests in Jabalia
|
1. Issam Judeh |
2. Yasser Moussa |
3. Ismai’il al-Ashqar |
|
4. Ahmad Sa’ati |
5. Amir Abu al-Umrain |
6. Nabil al-Emeyyer |
|
7. Raed Salhiyyeh from Khan Yunis |
8. Amer Srur |
9. Nuwar Farhan |
|
10. Walid al-Amudi |
11. Walid Kabajeh |
12. Khaled Ghurab |
|
13. Ghassan Ismai’il from Khan Yunis |
14. Nabil al-Afandi |
|
On 31/10/98 the
following were released:
Ismai’il Haniyyeh,
Ismai’il Abu Shanab, Sayyed Abu Sameh, and Ahmad Bahar.
The Arrest of Sheikh Nafez Azzam
Name of detainee: Sheikh Nafez Azzam, one of the leaders of the
Islamic Jihad
Profession: Director
of al-Bar and al-Ihsan Society
Residnece: Gaza
Age: 39
Marital Status: married with children
Telephone: 07-2136795
The wife of al-Sheikh stated the following:
On Saturday 25/10/98, at 11 in the evening, al-Sheikh woke up because our front door bell was ringing. When he opened the door, there were a lot of people outside. They claimed to be from the criminal department and asked him to go with them. They were not in military cars, they had Mercedes cars and Peugeots. They were not in uniform either. I did not know any of their names.
After his release, al-Sheikh testified:
On Saturday, 24/10/98, Palestinian policemen dressed in civil took me from my home directly to the police station in Gaza. I was arrested by the criminal police headed by Talal Abu Zeid. They interrogated me on the speech I made in the one year anniversary of the martyr Fathi al-Shiqaqi on 30/10/98. I was released and did not sign a summon. I was not even blindfolded.
Maher Farraj – PHRMG
field worker
31/10/98