Jerusalem 1 May 2002
Palestinian Authority Security Services supplied guidance, weapons & funds to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in order to perpetrate terrorist attacks
(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)
Nasser Abu Hamid, a senior member and founder of the Al-Aqsa
Brigades, who was arrested in the course of Operation Defensive
Shield, has told his investigators that after the establishment of
the Brigades in the Ramallah area, the Palestinian Authority supplied
it with the names of senior operatives in other areas in Judea and
Samaria with whom it had initiated contact in order to cooperate in
perpetrating attacks and in fighting against the IDF.
Nasser Abu Hamid, 31, a resident of the Amari refugee camp, was a
senior and founding member of the Al-Aqsa Brigades and a senior
Tanzim terrorist who was responsible for shooting, bomb and suicide
attacks in Judea and Samaria. He had previously served time in an
Israeli prison after he admitted murdering five collaborators but was
released in the framework of the Oslo agreement.
During his questioning, Nasser detailed how he had established
paramilitary militias in the Ramallah area, which had perpetrated
shooting attacks, and afterwards declared the establishment of the
Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades. He received the names of terrorists in
various West Bank towns from PA operatives in the Ramallah area, and
made contact with them. Among these were Nasser Aweis from Nablus, Raed Karmi from
Tulkarm, Abd al Karim Aweis from Jenin, Ataf Aviat from Bethlehem and additional senior figures who later became among the most prominent terrorists in the field.
Nasser described the considerable military and financial assistance
that they received from the outset from Marwan Barghouti, Fatah Secretary-General in the West Bank, via the latter's nephew Ahmed Barghouti.
Nasser noted that senior PA security service officials entreated him
and the militants subordinate to him to join their services and that
Tawfik Tirawi himself, the head of General Intelligence on the West Bank, proposed that Nasser integrate all Brigade members into General Intelligence, including the payment of their salaries.
Nasser admitted that he ultimately decided - along with the members
of his organization - to join Marwan Barghouti, given their prior
acquaintance and the former's estimation that under the latter's
patronage, it would be possible to step up his activity. Nasser's
decision was adopted by his associates who agreed that Barghouti was
the best choice for them. They also decided to adopt the name Al-Aqsa
Martyrs Brigades.
Nasser also admitted his involvement in numerous shooting, bomb and
suicide attacks, including attacks in which Israelis were killed.
Nasser added that National Security members participated in several
attacks and even took an explosive charge from its stores for one of
them.
Nasser said that several bombs were regularly kept in a jeep which
had been permanently parked at the Force 17 roadblock in Ramallah for
use in case of an IDF incursion into Ramallah.
Nasser sees Marwan Barghouti as both a supreme commander and a
friend. In his words, the two of them planned their ascent into the
Palestinian leadership when Barghouti made it clear that Nasser would
advance along with him. Barghouti promised to build a special
residential neighborhood for Nasser and his men and their families in
the future. Nasser said that he was Barghouti's closest adviser and
was aware of the latter's military activities, including the transfer
of funds and war materiel to those who perpetrated attacks and
assisting in the transport of suicide bombers.