Letting Killers Go Free: Yasir Arafat’s Releases of Imprisoned Terrorists, 1994-1998

February 9, 1998

1. Murderers of Americans Released
• In early 1997, Arafat set free Nabil Sharihi, who helped prepare
  the bomb used in the attack that killed 7 Israelis and Brandeis University
  student Alisa Flatow, near Kfar Darom in 1995. (Israel Government Press Office)

• Imjad Hinawi, who took part in the drive-by shooting of
  American-Israeli teenager David Boim in May 1996, was detained by Arafat’s
  police, but then given a “weekend leave” from jail in February 1997. He
  did not return. (Israel Gov’t Press Office)

• Abd al-Majid Dudin helped prepare the August 1995 Jerusalem bus
  bombing in which 4 people, including Connecticut schoolteacher Joan
  Davenny, were murdered. In August 1995, he was sentenced by the PA to 12 years in
  prison on another charge. According to Peace Watch, “even though Dudin
  officially remains in prison in Jericho, he actually works as a jailer and
  is permitted freedom of movement in Jericho.”

2. Murderers of Israelis Released

• Hamas terrorists Moawiya Jarara, Bashar Salawah, and Tawfiq
  Yassin, who were being sought by Israel, surrendered to Arafat’s police in March
  1996 and were detained in the Nablus prison, but permitted to leave whenever
  they wanted. In September 1996, they left and did not return. In September
  1997, they carried out the Ben-Yehuda Street bombing in Jerusalem, in which four
  Jews were murdered and over 100 injured. (Associated Press, September 23, 1997)

• In October 1997, Arafat’s police released “38 Hamas and Islamic
  Jihad activists, including Haani Mohammed Hassan Rahim, who planned the
  March 1996 suicide bombing at Tel Aviv’s Dizengoff center, which killed three and
  wounded dozens.” (Israel Consulate)

• Khader Abu Abra, who took part in the murder of two Israel
  hikers in July 1995 and a 1996 attack on Israeli soldiers near Beit Jallah, was
  arrested by Arafat’s police in February 1996 but released in May 1996. (Israel
  Government Press Office)

• Arafat set free imprisoned Hamas leaders Ibrahim Maqadmeh.
  (Reuters, March 10, 1997), Sheikh Ahmed Nimar (Ha’aretz, December 8, 1996) and Sheikh
  Hassan Yussef (Israeli Army Radio, August 24, 1996).

• Samir Zaharna, who kidnapped two Israeli Border policemen in
  Jeninin 1995, was sentenced to 5 years in prison by the PA in December 1995, but
  released several months later. (Peace Watch)

• Osama Abu-Taha, wanted for the murders of three Israelis and
  shooting attacks on Israeli Army patrols, was sentenced to 12 years in
  prison by the PA in September 1995. He “escaped” from prison one month later.
  (Peace Watch)

• Yussef al-Malhi, wanted for the murders of two Israelis, was
  sentenced to 12 years in prison by the PA in September 1995. He “escaped”
  from prison on October 22, 1995. (Peace Watch)

• Wa’al Salah Nasr, who planned to carry out a suicide bombing
  attack against Israelis, was sentenced to 5 years in prison by the PA in September
  1995, but released less than one month later. (Peace Watch)

• Awad Silmi, wanted for the murder of an Israeli soldier, was
  sentenced to 5 years in prison by the PA in August 1995, on a different
  charge. He was released less than one month later. (Peace Watch)

• Sa’id Abu-Musama, a Hamas terrorist, was sentenced to 3 years in
  prison by the PA in May 1995. He was released after serving seven months.
  (Peace Watch)

• Muhammed Abu-Samalla, a Hamas terrorist wanted by Israel for a
  shooting attack in which one Israeli soldier was killed and two were
  wounded, was sentenced to 2 years in prison by the PA in April 1995. He was
  released after serving eight months. (Peace Watch)

• Ra’ad al-Atar, a Hamas terrorist wanted by Israel for a shooting
  attack in which one Israeli soldier was killed and two were wounded, was
  sentenced to 2 years in prison by the PA in April 1995. He was released
  after serving eight months. (Peace Watch)

3. Murderers of Israelis Released and Then Hired to Serve in Arafat’s Police Force
   • Osama Abu Tayeh, who took part in the murders of two Israeli
     soldiers in October 1993 and the murder of another Israeli in July 1994,
     was detained by Arafat’s police in September 1995 after Israel requested his
     extradition. To block the extradition, he was given a 5-minute show trial
     and sentenced to 12 years in prison. Five weeks later, Tayeh “escaped” from
     jail. In November 1995, Tayeh was re-arrested, but allowed to leave the jail
     whenever he wanted; he soon left and did not return. After the March 1996 bombings
     in Jerusalem, Israel demanded that he be rearrested. Arafat’s police jailed
     him, but then released him in July 1996. In October 1996, he was hired by the
     Palestinian Police. (Yediot Ahronot, October 15, 1997)

   • Bassam Issa, who took part in the murder of three Israeli
     soldiers in April 1993 and a machine-gun attack on Israelis in downtown Jerusalem in
     October 1994 (killing two), was arrested but then released by Arafat’s
     police. He now serves in Arafat’s Palestinian Preventive Security Service. (Israel
     Government Press Office)

   • Atef Hamadan, who took part in the 1992 attempted murder of an
     Israeli soldier and the murders of several Arabs, was arrested by Arafat’s
     police in September 1996 but soon released. He now serves in the
     Palestinian Preventive Security Service. (Israel Government Press Office)

   • Bassam Aram, who took part in the attempted murder of an Israeli
     farmer in December 1993, was arrested by Arafat’s police but then released.
     He is now serving in the Palestinian Security Forces. (Israel Government
     Press Office)

   • Yasser Aram, who took part in the attempted murder of an Israeli
     farmer in December 1993, was arrested by Arafat’s police but then released.
     He may now be serving in the Palestinian Security Forces. (Israel Government
     Press Office)

   • Iyad Abu-Shakafa, who took part in the attempted murder of an
     Israeli in February 1994, is now serving in the Palestinian Police.
     (Israel Government Press Office)

   • Iyad Basheeti, who took part in the murder of two Israelis
     in August 1994, was arrested by Arafat’s police but soon released. He is
     apprently now serving in the Palestinian Police. (Israel Government Press
     Office)

   • Ibrahim Shaheed, who took part in the murder of an Arab accused
     of cooperating with Israel in October 1994. He is now serving in the
     Palestinian Police in Tulkarm (Israel Government Press Office)

   • Ahmed Samarah, who was involved in kidnapping two Israeli Border
     policemen in Jenin in 1995, was sentenced to jail by the PA in December
     1995, but then hired by the Palestinian Security Force. (Peace Watch)

   • Jamal Abu-Rob, who was involved in kidnapping two Israeli
     Border policemen in Jenin in 1995, was sentenced to jail by the PA in
     December 1995, but then hired by the Palestinian Security Force. (Peace Watch)

4. Mass Releases of Terrorists

• Arafat ordered the release of 200 imprisoned members of the
  Islamic Jihad terrorist group who were arrested as part of an alleged PLO
  “crackdown” on terrorists. (Israel Radio, May 19, 1997)

• Arafat released 120 terrorists whom Israel had specifically
  asked not to be released. (Ha’aretz, March 6, 1997)

• Ha’aretz reported on October 8, 1996, that the Palestinian
  Authority police, under direct orders from Arafat, were continuing to “release
  detained Palestinians, mainly from Hamas.”

• The PA set free 110 Islamic Jihad and Hamas members, including
  26 from Ramallah, over the weekend of August 31-September 1, 1996.

• On August 25, 1996, Arafat ordered the release of 17 terrorists
  who were being detained in Jenin. (Ha’aretz, Aug.26, 1996)

• On April 3, 1996, Ha’aretz reported that Arafat’s police had
  already “released most of the Hamas activists that they arrested after the Tel Aviv
  bombing.”