17 April 2002
Louai Ouda, PFLP and Tanzim operative, was involved in the murder of
Rechavam Ze'evy and other terrorist attacks
(Communicated by Israel security sources)
Louai Ouda, 24 years of age, and a resident of Ramallah, has been an
operative of the PFLP (Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine)
and the Fatah Tanzim organization. He was arrested by the IDF, in the
course of Operation Defensive Shield. During questioning, he admitted
his involvement in the terrorist murder of late Minister Rechavam
Ze'evy, as well as his involvement in the execution of a number of
suicide bombings.
During his questioning, he admitted that he received instructions
from Ahad Ulma, a wanted terrorist of the PFLP, and one of those
responsible for the killing of Rechavam Ze'evy. Ulma has been hiding
out in Arafat's headquarters in Ramallah. Louai Ouda rented a car
that was used by the terrorist group carrying out the murder. After
Ze'evy was killed, the Palestinian Authority Preventive Security
apparatus arrested Louai Ouda, but he was later released.
During questioning, he added that during his stay in the Palestinian
Authority jail, the senior Fatah operative in Samaria, Nasser Aweis,
recruited him for operations in the Fatah Tanzim terrorist
organization. Aweis proposed to Louai Ouda that he assist suicide
bombers to infiltrate into Israel, in order to carry out suicide
bombings. Ouda accepted the proposal.
Following his release from prison, Nasser Aweis introduced Ouda to
Muhammad Salah who was interested in carrying out a suicide bombing.
Ouda established contact with Ahmed Barghouti, the nephew of Marwan
Barghouti, who turned himself over to the IDF on April 15, 2002. He
requested that Barghouti provide the suicide bomber with
accommodation and an explosive belt, which he did. Ouda contacted an
additional person to examine ways of reaching the neighborhood of
French Hill, in Jerusalem, as well as to identify possible targets
for the suicide bombing attack. The person in question later
transported the terrorist to French Hill. The attack was foiled, when
the suicide bomber was intercepted and killed on March 8,
2002.
Ouda added that after the attack was foiled, Nasser Aweis established
a new terrorist cell headed by Ahmed Barghouti. The members of the
cell planned to manufacture and operate explosive charges. To this
end, he was given 8000 shekels by Ahmed Barghouti to purchase
explosives. The cell was instructed to detonate the explosives
against an armored IDF jeep.
The arrest of Louai Ouda follows a string of other arrests carried
out by the IDF in the course of Operation Defensive Shield. The
purpose of the Operation is to eliminate the extensive terrorist
infrastructure in the West Bank.