Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., July 11, 2008 Tamuz 8, 5768 | | Israel Time: 01:29 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Peres Conference Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

2 Bedouin from Negev admit links to Al-Qaida By Amos Harel and Yuval Azoulay Two Bedouin from Rahat have been held in custody since late May on suspicion of links to Al-Qaida and plans to carry out terrorist attacks in Israel. The two men, who are active in the Islamic Movement in Israel, have admitted to the suspicions against them. The arrests were made public yesterday following indictments filed against the two at the Be'er Sheva District Court. Advertisement Taher Abu Shut, 21, and Omar Abu-Shut, 20, both from Rahat in the Negev, are suspected of providing Al-Qaida with a list of possible targets for large-scale terror attacks in Israel. The list included Ben-Gurion International Airport and the Azrieli Towers in Tel Aviv. The arrests resulted from a concerted effort by the Shin Bet security service, the police and the Border Police. The Shin Bet investigation had focused on Taher, who had turned toward radical Islam in recent years. The Shin Bet concluded that he had contacted Al-Qaida through the Internet and agreed to participate in terrorist activities inside Israel, offering details on the location of Israel Defense Forces camps, strategic installations and crowded public places that could be targeted. He is also charged with providing information on areas in the West Bank through which it is possible to sneak into Israel. Taher is charged with seeking to contact Al-Qaida terrorists in Saudi Arabia and Iraq, in order to use these contacts in attacks on Israel. Omar is also accused of assisting in the efforts to organize terrorist organizations. But it is still hard to assess the severity of the case; it is possible that its significance stems from it being the first of its kind. For the first time, Israeli Arabs are on trial for links to what the Shin Bet has described as Al-Qaida. For the past five years there have been intelligence assessments warning that international jihadist groups have considered Israel to be an important target. The security forces have also uncovered a number of indirect links to the international jihad by people in the territories. The use of Israeli Arabs to collect basic intelligence on potential targets is the first stage of any such planning, and has been done in the past. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Photoshopped launch Did Iran doctor an image of its provocative missile test launch? 'Hitler was a good boss' Nazi bodyguard describes the fuhrer's last moments in a Berlin bunker.

Read & React Defense Min. Barak: Israel is not afraid of taking action against Iran Responses: 272 2 Qassams hit Negev after IDF kills unarmed Gazan at border Responses: 162 Olmert: I can persuade U.S. to sponsor Israel-Syria talks Responses: 49 Peres to get hotel in Olympic village so he can keep the Sabbath Responses: 44 Ze'ev Sternhell: It's pricier than ever to exist as a Jewish state Responses: 47 More Headlines 23:21 Hamas arrests Gaza rocket squad after two Qassams hit Negev 19:44 Did Iran doctor an image of its missile test launch? 22:35 Defense Minister Barak: Israel isn't afraid to take action against Iran 19:48 IDF non-combat reservists say they're being thrust into war zones 23:22 Hitler's bodyguard: The Fuhrer was a good boss 23:16 Olmert: Hezbollah's Nasrallah 'scared to death' of Israel 23:51 Assad: Olmert can't make commitments needed for peace 01:07 French police file charges against 3 suspects in attack on Jewish teen 01:24 Preschool assistant gets 29 years for sexually assaulting 29 children 00:19 Olmert's lawyers: We'll need to extend Talansky cross-examination 16:04 PA official: We'll freeze talks if settlement building continues 17:35 Obama's real problem with the Iraq issue 18:06 Tycoon Abramovich buys world's most expensive house at $500M Previous Editions Select Day 10 jul 09 jul 08 jul 07 jul 06 jul 04 jul 03 jul 02 jul 01 jul 30 jun 29 jun 27 jun

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