Terrorists Freed by Arafat Since Clinton's Visit to Gaza 1 February 1999 Within days of U.S. President Bill Clinton's December 14, 1998 visit to Gaza, Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat began releasing dozens of Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists from prison, including those who have killed Israelis and Americans. Following is a list of 21 prominent terrorists released by Arafat after Clinton's visit to Gaza: 1) Ziad Abu al-Ghal - head of the Islamic Jihad's military wing in Gaza, he was responsible for numerous terrorist attacks. He appears on the joint Israeli-Palestinian list of wanted fugitives to be detained. At the end of December 1998, he was released on "holiday leave" for several days and has not returned to prison. 2) Mehdi Inbatawi - senior Islamic Jihad terrorist from Ramallah. One of the organization's top figures in Judea and Samaria. Detained by the Palestinian Authority in November 1998. Set free in mid-January for Id al-Fitr (a Muslim holiday). 3) Muhammad Abu al-Ghal - Islamic Jihad terrorist and participant in terror activity who was detained by the Preventive Security Service at the end of October, 1998. He appears on the joint Israeli-Palestinian list of wanted fugitives to be detained. He was released in mid-December 1998. 4) Arafat Kuwasmeh - senior Hamas terrorist from the Hebron area and participant in terror activity, released by Jibril Rajoub's Preventive Security Service on December 18, 1998. Assistant to Hassan Salameh, mastermind of suicide bombings in Israel in February-March 1996 (which killed 60 people) including the February 25, 1996 attack on bus #18 which killed 3 Americans: Ira Weinstein, Matthew Eisenfeld and Sara Duker. He appears on the joint Israeli-Palestinian list of wanted fugitives to be detained. 5) Mahmoud al-Batash - Hamas terrorist detained by the Palestinian General Intelligence Service in October 1998 for serving as liaison between Hamas leadership abroad and terrorists in the territories. Appears to have been released recently. 6) Yusuf Abu Heen - senior Hamas terrorist and participant in terror activity who maintained contact with Hamas leadership abroad and was involved in several bomb attacks. Set free recently. 7) Abdallah Shami - one of Islamic Jihad's most prominent figures in Gaza. Shami was detained by the PA on the eve of President Bill Clinton's December 1998 trip to the region after he publicly announced "Clinton should get a bullet in his head when he arrives here." Shami has also been involved in the planning and preparation of attacks against Israel. Set free in mid-January for Id al-Fitr (a Muslim holiday). 8) Subhi Kapisha - Hamas terrorist from Hebron and participant in terror activity who is on the joint Israeli-Palestinian list of fugitives to be detained. He was arrested by Jibril Rajoub's Preventive Security Service on October 4, 1998, but set free on December 20, 1998. 9) Tariq Ja'abri - terrorist detained by Jirbil Rajoub's Preventive Security Service on October 4, 1998 in the wake of the grenade attack in Hebron. Set free on December 20, 1998. 10) Hassam Alimani - senior Hamas terrorist and arms dealer, freed by the PA's Military Intelligence on December 19, 1998. A member of the Awadallah brothers' terror unit (prior to their deaths in September 1998) which masterminded the July 30, 1997 bombing in Jerusalem that killed 15 people, including Leah Stern, an American-Israeli formerly of New Jersey. 11) Muhammad Jarar - Islamic Jihad terrorist from Jenin. Detained by Jibril Rajoub's Preventive Security Service on November 7, 1998. Set free on December 20, 1998. 12) Majd Abu Khadija - Hamas terrorist detained by the Palestinian General Intelligence Service as part of the Wye-mandated security work plan for the month of November 1998. Recently set free. 13) Jihad Suwiti - senior Hamas terrorist who served as a deputy to Hassan Salameh, the mastermind of the wave of suicide bombings in Israel in February-March 1996 (which killed 60 people) including the February 25, 1996 attack on bus #18 in Jerusalem which killed 3 Americans: Matthew Eisenfeld and Sara Duker (students at New York's Jewish Theological Seminary) and Ira Weinstein. He is on the joint Israeli-Palestinian list of wanted fugitives to be detained. 14) Mahmoud Kashef - Hamas terrorist and participant in terror activity who was detained by the Palestinian General Intelligence Service after the attack in Gush Katif. Set free in mid-December 1998. 15) Abd al-Hakim Mana'amah - one of Sheikh Yassin's escorts. Detained by the Preventive Security Service after the car bomb attack in Gush Katif. Set free on December 31, 1998. 16) Khaled Gharab - Hamas terrorist involved in the preparation of attacks. He was detained by the Preventive Security Service and set free around December 19, 1998. 17) Talal al-Baz - senior Hamas terrorist from Kalkilya, headed the organization's military wing in the city. He assisted the Awadallah brothers' terror unit (prior to their deaths in September 1998) which masterminded the July 30, 1997 bombing in Jerusalem that killed 15 people, including Leah Stern, an American-Israeli formerly of New Jersey. 18) Ziad Basisi - Islamic Jihad terrorist from Tulkarem who was among the group's leaders at A-Najah University in Shechem (Nablus). He was involved with the Dakah brothers (see below). Detained by the Palestinian Authority in October 1998. 19) Assad Dakah - senior Islamic Jihad terrorist from Tulkarem who maintained contact with other members of the group throughout the territories. Belonged to a terror unit that was planning to carry out attacks. Detained by the Palestinian Authority in October 1998. 20) Muhammad Dakah - Islamic Jihad terrorist from Tulkarem, brother of Assad Dakah. Detained in October 1998 for planning to carrying out attacks. 21) Bashir Daher-Yaseed - Hamas terrorist and student at A-Najah University in Shechem (Nablus), assisted wanted fugitive Mahmoud Abu Hanoud, ringleader of the terrorists who set off bombs in Jerusalem on July 30, 1997 (which killed 15 people, including Leah Stern, an American-Israeli formerly of New Jersey) and on September 4, 1997 (which killed 5 people, including 14-year old Yael Botwin, an American-Israeli originally from California). |
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