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Deputy State Attorney Shai Nitzan. (Lior Mizrahi) Last update - 08:36 28/12/2006 Israel to impose limits on bank accounts of security prisoners By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent Israel will impose limits on the transfer of funds from the territories to Palestinians held in its prisons for security-related offenses, starting on February 1. According to the new rules, the maximum sum per month each such inmate may receive will be NIS 1,300. In addition, control of funds distribution will no longer be in the hands of the prisoners' leadership, but will be handled by the prison authorities. The adoption of the new rules is angering the Palestinian inmates. Advertisement The decision to alter the regulations governing money transfers was made following a number of meetings in recent months between representatives of the Justice Ministry, the Shin Bet security service, the Israel Prison Service and the Postal Bank, whose branches are used for inmates' accounts. The law passed by the Knesset about a year and a half ago that forbids funding of terrorist activity served as catalyst for the start of the talks. The transfer of funds to militants held for terrorist activities, even after the fact, could be considered to be retroactive support for terrorist activities. The Postal Bank there were concerns that under the existing regulations on money transfers, it services would be considered as aiding and abetting terrorist activities. Currently, there is no effective control over money transfers to security prisoners. These are received by the prisoners' leaders in the wings of various prisons, and depending on group affiliation, the funds are dispersed. Prison Service Commissioner Ya'akov Ganot had expressed his concerns regarding the existing lack of controls, particularly in connection with Israeli Arabs serving sentences for participation in security-related violations. Ganot ordered a freeze on the transfer of funds from the Palestinian Authority to these inmates several months ago. Deputy State Attorney Shai Nitzan has formulated the following new regulations: * Each inmate held for security violations will receive funds into an individual bank account, in which no more than NIS 1,300 per month may be deposited. The figure is set according to the maximum that security inmates are allowed to spend in the prison canteen each month. * Any one making a deposit will have to identify himself, so Israel will be able to block transfers from an individual identified as belonging to a militant group. * Inmates will not be allowed to keep funds in their accounts for colleagues. This will strip inmate leaders of a major source of power. * A computerized system will be set up in the Postal Bank that will include data on every inmate. The Prison Service is funding half the cost of the system, which will allow the "marking" of accounts belonging to inmates imprisoned for security-related violations. In return for the measures it has undertaken, the state has promised the Postal Bank immunity from prosecution if it is accused of aiding terrorist activities. A senior source in the Prison Service said the new regulations, in addition to assisting in maintaining the law, will likely weaken the leadership of the Palestinian inmates. "There will no longer be a situation in which vast sums of money are deposited without controls, or that a prisoner is released and he has large sums of money in his account," the source said. The Prison Service has begun informing inmates in various prisons of the new regulations, provoking considerable anger. A security source involved in the decisions said the new regulations constitute an improvement, but the maximum sum allowed to each inmate is still too high. "The Prison Service is still trying to buy calm among the inmates through the money allowed them," he said. "We should have limited the monthly allowance to several hundred shekels, which will meet their minimum needs. That is what inmates held for criminal offenses are allowed to spend, and there is no reason why a terrorist held in our prisons should be allowed more, even if the money arrives from the Palestinian side." Bookmark to del.icio.us   A few good celebs Some of Hollywood's top guns congratulate Israel in a clip played in Times Square. Chosen, shmosen 'Religion is an incarnation of the most childish superstitions,' wrote Albert Einstein.   1.   Prisoner Bank Accounts - How much is Gilad Shalit 05:17  |  * BEN JABO 28/12/06   2.   Coniscate all assets of terrorists` families 05:54  |  MARK KLEIN, M.D. 28/12/06   3.   For Terrorists 05:56  |  Ron 28/12/06   4.   No torment too small for the clerks of sadism 06:30  |  Hannah 28/12/06   5.   Soon this new penalty will 06:59  |  Woodlawn 28/12/06   6.   Good Idea. America should apply this to Pollard 07:36  |  Natallie Durson 28/12/06   7.   Natallie Durson No. 6: Bursting blood vessels again! 09:47  |  Natan 28/12/06   8.   Response to Hannah No. 4 10:06  |  Richard N. 28/12/06   9.   #8, Richard, squatting in tal al-Rabey 10:23  |  Hannah 28/12/06   10.   Pollard Palestinian political prisoners 11:37  |  Ya`akov Shmueli 28/12/06   11.   Unbelievable... 11:41  |  JonathanInTelAviv 28/12/06   12.   Limitations let Loose 12:32  |  asa 28/12/06   13.   Richard N. answers Hannah No. 9 13:24  |  Richard N 28/12/06   14.   terrorists` bank accounts 13:48  |  Briton 28/12/06   15.   Dear Hannah - This is my second attempt at reaching you through.. 13:56  |  Petra 28/12/06   16.   Natalie, 14:48  |  Charlie Bukhbzaa 28/12/06   17.   # 16 15:08  |  american 28/12/06   18.   #117 15:39  |  Israeli 28/12/06   19.   Postal Bank Deposit for Prisoners 20:56  |  Sandie Hurani 14/05/08

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