The Israeli secret services arrested two Arabian-origin Hamas terrorists recruited in Romania by this terrorist organization.

Yedioth Ahronoth daily announced it in October 23rd. The above-mentioned daily says the two suspects were in Romania in 1994-2003. 35-year old Nazmi Hassin and 36-year old Abed al-Salaam Zidan studied stomatology in Romania. According to the Israeli daily, while Israeli authorities were questioning him, Hassin said he had officially joined the terrorist organization in 1994. They say he was recruited by an ally of the sheik in the mosque where he would study and pray.

Recruited in a flat in Romania

Yedioth Ahronoth daily says that last month Shin Bet and the Israeli police arrested two Arabian Israelis with residence in Galilee, suspected of Hamas membership. They are both charged with having got training in Hamas bases abroad from Hamas activists. According to Shin Bet, Hassin, a resident in Nazareth, admitted he had participated in Muslim prayers and study sessions held in a mosque in Romania, where a local religious sheik would deliver speeches on the ideology of the Muslim Brothers. Hassin became a friend and associate of the sheik.

During the questioning he said in 1994 he had met the two in his flat in Romania, where he had been officially recruited for Hamas in order to help the organization with terrorism against Israel. This is why he had been sent to Turkey for training. (...) The Haifa Prosecutor's Office is going to sue the two suspects for helping the enemy at times of war.

SRI says it takes action to prevent the making of operational centers

The SRI (the Romanian Secret Service) press department issued press release on the arresting in Israel of two Arabians who had studied in

Romania: "Since at present the two Israeli citizens are being investigated by Israeli judiciary authorities, any public reaction of SRI might be interpreted as interference in the Justice process ongoing in the native country. As for the presence of members and adepts of the Hamas organization in Romania, the Romanian Secret Service has informed in all activity reports about constant action to prevent the making of operational central on the national territory."

"The Muslim Brothers" is ideologically connected to Hamas and it has been known in Romania since 1976. They activate under the cover of "The Islamic and Cultural League in Romania" or the "Al Taiba" - Romania Humanist Foundation or the "As Salam" Association. Since 1976 there have been identified about 60 members and 150 adepts. SRI has decided that "The Islamic and Cultural League in Romania" coordinates the activity of "Muslim Brothers" and Hamas branches in Central and Eastern Europe. (...)

Checks in Romania

Prosecutors are checking on more persons that might be connected to Hamas. Checks are after identifying more people who studied in Romania and who might have such connections. The two Hamas members who studied in Romania and are now sued in Israel provided a list of people they had studied together with in Romania and who are thought to have wanted to joined Hamas. Investigators are now trying to learn if any of these people are in Romania at present.

Finance for terrorism investigated

Romanian general attorney Ilie Botos intends to establish regional cooperation for watching the activity of organized crime and terrorism networks. The Romanian official is having talks with his colleagues from Ukraine and Moldavia to reach protocol. US general attorney Alberto Gonzales has also been informed about this regional cooperation. Ilie Botos had a meeting with the US official last week in Washington. The Public Ministry has got a 2-department service on terrorism crimes: one is to handle investigations on terrorist attacks and the other deals with investigations on terrorism financing.

According to Botos, the two departments are after one operational component and one financing component.

Botos said: "Starting with the 90s, much money has been taken out of Romania by means of various financial tricks. There have been involved people suspected of connections with entities belonging to terrorist groups and people involved in various official ways. All these are now being checked and we are trying to create common database to be used for watching connections between all networks of economic and organized crime and these suspect entities in order to see the common points and start investigation."