Jerusalem, 25 February 2001
Senior Fatah-Tanzim operatives responsible for murder of Ofir Rahum
(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)
The Israel Security Agency ISA (formerly the GSS), in cooperation
with the Israel Police Unit for the Investigation of
International Crimes, has succeeded in discovering the identities
of the murderers of Ofir Rahum on January 17, 2001. Amana Muna,
who was identified as the woman who lured Ophir into meeting her,
was arrested at her Bir Naballah home on January 20, 2001.
Following a prolonged investigation by ISA interrogators, Muna
confessed to her part in murdering Ofir Rahum along with two
senior Ramallah-area Fatah Tanzim operatives - Hassan Alkadi and
Abdul Fatah Doleh from Beituniya.
From Muna's preliminary version of events, the following details
arise:
1. She maintained Internet connections with several Israelis who
had expressed grievances over the Palestinians' behavior.
2. Against this background, she decided to meet one of them in
order to abduct him so as to shock Israeli public opinion and
thus send a message to Israel and the world against the killing
of children and youths in the intifada. She stated that her
intention was merely to abduct, not to kill.
3. From among the Israelis she was in contact with, she decided
to abduct Ofir Rahum.
4. She informed another Palestinian of her plan; he, in turn,
instructed her what to do.
5. On the day of the murder, she picked Ofir Rahum up at the
Jerusalem Central Bus Station and drove him to the outskirts of
Ramallah.
6. There, she had arranged to meet two additional Fatah Tanzim
activists. One of them tried to pull Ofir out of the car but
when Ofir resisted, he shot him several times with an AK-47 in
his possession.
7. After the murder, the two Palestinian activists loaded Ofir's
body into their vehicle and fled to inside Palestinian
Authority-controlled Ramallah. There they buried Ofir's body.
8. The body was discovered by local residents a day later. The
body was transferred to a Ramallah hospital and eventually to
Israeli liaison officials.
The ISA will continue its efforts to apprehend others who were
involved in Ofir Rahum's murder.