22 January 2002
Information regarding IDF Raid on Explosives Lab in Nablus in which four terrorists were killed
(Communicated by the IDF Spokesman)
©2002 IDF Spokesman
Switch for detonating explosive device, contained in top of shampoo bottle.
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Excerpts from the briefing by Major General Yitzhak Eitan regarding
the raid on the Nablus laboratory:
"IDF forces raided a building in the city of Nablus in which there
was found a laboratory for explosive materials. During the raid, an
explosive device was thrown at Israeli forces from an apartment in
the building, and an exchange of fire ensued. During the exchange of
fire, four IDF soldiers were wounded, and four terrorists were
killed. Several suspects in the building were arrested.
"A laboratory for explosive devices was found in the building,
perhaps the largest ever discovered in the West Bank. In the
laboratory, there were explosives ready for use, belts strapped with
explosives, and chemical materials used to create explosive devices.
There were also weapons and a large amount of ammunition.
"We can see clearly that this laboratory was used to prepare
explosives to be used in terror attacks to be carried out
immediately, causing tremendous destruction and damage in Israel."
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
During the course of military action initiated by the IDF and
security forces in Nablus last night, an explosives laboratory was
discovered in an apartment building in the city. This building was
used as a strategic launching pad for dozens of terrorist attacks. In
the building, the IDF discovered a number of wanted Hamas terrorists
in the midst of preparing a string of terrorist attacks.
In addition, while searching for terrorist collaborators, security
forces made a number of arrests in the apartment where the wanted
terrorists were hiding.
In the apartment, a large amount of weapons were found, including
guns and a stockpile of explosive material as well as explosive belts
and materials used in the preparation of explosive devices.
The following is background information on the each of the four
terrorists killed:
Nasim Shafik Ali Abu-Ros
Born in 1974, Hamas operative, resident of Nablus, single.
Abu-Ros was a member of the Hamas infrastructure in the northern West
Bank run by Mahmoud Abu-Hanoud and Halil Sharif. This same network
carried out the Ben Yehuda bombings in Jerusalem in 1997, in which
five Israelis were killed and 167 wounded. Abu-Ros' role within the
network was the assembling of explosive devices, a skill he learned
from Mouhi Adin Sharif.
Abu-Ros was arrested by the Palestinians at the end of 1997, tried,
convicted and incarcerated in Jericho. With the outbreak of violence
he was released from prison by the Palestinian Authority and returned
immediately to work within the Hamas military infrastructure in the
northern West Bank.
Abu-Ros was involved in the assembling of explosive devices used in
all large-scale Hamas attacks in the last year, such as the Sbarro
restaurant bombing in Jerusalem, the suicide bombings in Haifa, and
the suicide attack in Emmanuel.
Jasar Assad Ramzi Smaro
Born in 1974, resident of Nablus, Hamas operative, single.
Smaro was also a member of the Hamas infrastructure which dispatched
the terrorist attacks on Ben Yehuda Street in Jerusalem under the
leadership of Mahmoud Abu Hanoud and Halil Sharif. Jaser was one of
Mouhi Adin Sharif's students. Smaro was caught, tried, convicted and
incarcerated in Jericho by the Palestinian Authority in 1997. He was
released with the outbreak of the violence and returned immediately
to his work as a Hamas operative in the northern West Bank.
Smaro worked within the network responsible for the assembling of the
explosive devices for the Hamas. Also, Smaro was an accomplice in the
execution of the Sbarro bombing, the attack in Haifa in December, and
the roadside bombs planted in the Jenin area.
Karim Namar Abed Mafraga
Born in 1979 in Beit Lakiya, resident of Nablus, terrorist operative,
single.
A former operative and one of the leaders of the organization Kotala
Islamiya at the A-Najah University, Mafraga was a senior member in
the Hamas military network which carried out the bombings in Netanya
in August and November of 1999 in which 20 people wounded.
Mafraga was imprisoned by the PA in Nablus. However, with the
outbreak of the violence, he was released and he returned immediately
to his Hamas activity in the northern West Bank.
He recently became a senior member of the network within Hamas which
develops explosive devices for the northern West Bank, under the
leadership of Nasim Abu Ros.
Yousef Haled Yousef Sukagi
Born in 1961, married with four children, a senior Hamas operative
expelled from Israel in the past.
Sukagi directed the military branch of the Hamas in the northern West
Bank. He directed the Hamas military network in 1997 which carried
out the Ben Yehuda Street bombings.
Sukagi was jailed by the PA in the Najid prison, and even while in
prison continued to direct the network, for example by staying in
touch with the wanted terrorist Mahmoud Abu Hanoud, and remained
responsible for the storehouse of explosive materials located by the
PA in August 2000.
With the outbreak of the violence, Sukagi was released and returned
to his position as the main director of Hamas terrorist activities
and as an advisor for terrorist actions. Within the framework of his
duties, Sukagi was also responsible for the approval and managing of
the finances of the terror network's activities.
Ha'aretz reports: According to Israeli security sources, two of the dead men - Jasser Samro and Nissam Abu Ros - were technical experts and prepared the explosive devices used in terror attacks in Haifa, the Sbarro pizzeria in Jerusalem, and the Dolphinarium in Tel Aviv. Samro and Abu Ros were on Israel's most-wanted list.