• Published 14:46 11.02.10
  • Latest update 17:07 11.02.10

Shin Bet: We foiled Hamas attempt to abduct and kill Israeli soldier

Israel arrested two Hamas men in Dec. who allegedly tried to murder soldier, perform terror attacks.

By Amos Harel and Anshel Pfeffer Tags: Hamas Israel news IDF

The Shin Bet cleared for publication on Thursday that it arrested a prominent Hamas activist in Gaza, who infiltrated into Israel with the intention to abduct an Israeli soldier, murder him, and to negotiate over the body.

The man was arrested on December 12, in a period in which intensive talks were taking place between Israel and Hamas on a deal to release abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.

The man is Salman Abu Atik, a 43-year-old Gaza resident and a prominent Hamas official who was involved in arms smuggling in the past.

According to the Shin Bet, Atik was taking orders from another prominent Hamas man. It is believed that Atik exited Gaza through a tunnel into Egypt, where he attempted to enter Israeli territory. He was found in possession of $15,000 in counterfeit bills, a gun, and a silencer.

Following information released in Abu Atik's investigation, another Hamas man, Ibrahim Zuara, was arrested on December 31. Zuara, 44, was in possession of two explosive devices each weighing 31 kilograms.

Zuara was apparently supposed to place the devices in heavily populated areas ten days after his entrance into Israel. Zuara also confessed to his involvement in planning the soldier abduction.

The Beer Sheva court indicted Abu Atik on the charges of attempted murder, illegal army training, arms smuggling, and additional charges.

On Feburary 2, Zuara was also indicted and charged with attempted murder, attempted kidnap, and arms smuggling among other charges.

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  • 25. 0 0
    Israel must do what it needs to do.
    • garry
    • 14.02.10
    • 08:28

    Absolutely correct.

  • 24. 0 0
    This story doesn't make much sense
    • Daniel
    • 12.02.10
    • 06:27

    Why would Hamas abduct an Israeli soldier, kill him, and then negotiate over the body? A live soldier is obviously a far more valuable bargaining chip than a dead one.

  • 23. 0 0
    We foiled Hamas attempt to abduct and kill Israeli soldier
    • JUAN
    • 12.02.10
    • 03:34

    I NEVER SEE A CRIMINAL TERRORIST LIKE HAMAS KIDNAP,ISRAELI SOLDIER,TERRORIST AGAINST THE LAND OF THE LORD ADONAI WANT JERUSALEM, WHEN THIS PEOPLE NEVER EXISTE BEFORE WAS JUDEA;THIS SOLDIER HAS A WIFE AND FAMILY, AND HAMAS WITH OTHER TERRORIST GROUPS LIKE HEZBOLA ARE IGNORANTS,THEY NEED A MENTHAL HOSPITAL READ THE HISTORY WHO ARE BELONG OF JERUSALEM. WHY HAMAS KILLING INOCENT PEOPLE MOHAMED TEACH IN THE KORAN THE HOLY WAR, MUSLIN DON'T REALIZE THAT MOHAMED WAS A MURDER AND THIEVES AND KILL THOUSAND OF PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY DIND'T WANT TO BE MUSLIN THE KORAN WAS MADE BY SOMEONE IS AGAINST JEWISH PEOPLE,I SEND THIS WEBSITE http://bibleprobe.com/muhammad.htm ADONAI GIVE TO US TEN COMANDAMENTS ONE OF THEM IS DO NOT SHALL KILL NOW MOHAMED IS Muhammad (aka Mohammed, aka Mahomet) Terrorist or Prophet? THE LORD ADONAI IS THE ONLY GOD HE WILL JUDGE CRIMINALS,TERRORIST,LIARS ETC NO ONE CAN GET AWAY FROM THE LAW OF ADONAI

  • 22. 0 0
    Another Ahbel on the Jabal Bites The Dust
    • lagunageno
    • 12.02.10
    • 01:03

  • 21. 0 0
    To Arnald #15 israel has its dark side too!
    • Tony Silver
    • 11.02.10
    • 21:33

    israel was founded by Irgun and GangSern terrorist groups whose leader was PM Manahem Begin! So,stop attacking the native Palestinians.

  • 20. 0 0
    to Louis Fried #5
    • Tony Silver
    • 11.02.10
    • 21:28

    just to remind you. please don't forget Irgun and Gangstern Terrorist groups led by PM Manahem Begin! israel was founded by terrorists who came from all part of the World!

  • 19. 0 0
    "Occupied Land"
    • Ol' Case
    • 11.02.10
    • 19:09

    Those here who advocate for Hamas, whose stated goal is to destroy Israel, should understand that Israel is not obligated to commit national suicide and that Israel will act to defend itself. I'm afraid that this is truly a fight to the death, essentially declared by the Arabs/Muslims. Hamas (and Hezbollah) can try to win but Israel's detractors should not complain when Israel wins. If they do, it would seem that they agree with the ultimate goal of Hamas/Hezbollah goal. And enough of the "war crimes" stuff. They surely know, deep down, that Israel would vacate the vast bulk of the territories back to June 4, 1967 if Israel could honestly believe that it would be left in peace as a Jewish state. But what evidence is there to persuade Israel of that?

  • 18. 0 0
    us uk austria canada new zeland and ...........
    • israel lives....
    • 11.02.10
    • 17:53

    What do all these countrys have in common? They all have taken over empty land from others and have developed it for their own nation. What goes around comes around Israel was lost and it has come to be again....So live with it and move on as we did for 2000 years. Maybe your turn will come in 2000 years time again..

  • 17. 0 0
    i saved the world yesterday...its all very secret
    • trust me
    • 11.02.10
    • 17:53

    and tomarrow will save it again...but its secret and i cant tell you...you do trust me right?

  • 16. 0 0
    Keep denying
    • Zilfa
    • 11.02.10
    • 17:32

    The problem with Israeli government and supporters is that all those who criticize them are either terrorist, anti Semitics, or self hating Jews. Never is there a possibility that there might be truth in such criticism or a true grievance in Palestinians behaviors. Do you even recognize in a whisper between you an you alone, that you have token these people land and made them live like dogs.

  • 15. 0 0
    Ahmed Habib # 2
    • Arnold
    • 11.02.10
    • 17:31

    Was your posting a serious comment ? If so then you have a strange take on fighting "occupation". The idea is to kill and die a martyr. If the plan goes wrong ...you do not get a 2nd chance to make amends to Hamas. These 2 need to sit in jail for a while and wait till Hamas is willing to negotiate FAIRLY for prisoner exchanges.

  • 14. 0 0
    Agreeing with Sam....
    • Silvienne
    • 11.02.10
    • 17:23

    And I'd do exactly the same... "What do you expect from a people who have thousands of their people jailed without trial, live in blockeded areas, have thier land taken away, have had their ancestors driven into refugee camps from homes lived in for hundreds of years ?. Facing a brutal occupier armed to the teeth with latest US arms, them themselves armed with homemade rockets ?. I know what i and the majority of mankind would do, exactly as these men are doing"

  • 13. 0 0
    #5 sam, another option
    • jochai Rubinstein
    • 11.02.10
    • 17:21

    "I know what i and the majority of mankind would do, exactly as these men are doing" The majority of mankind would leave and go live somewhere else and not let Islam rule their lives to shame

  • 12. 0 0
    #2
    • Adam
    • 11.02.10
    • 17:16

    If they have the right to try to kill Israeli solders then Israel has the obligation to try to stop them.

  • 11. 0 0
    good job try finding the other 1,000
    • abdalla
    • 11.02.10
    • 17:02

    1

  • 10. 0 0
  • 9. 0 0
    Put them under heavily-guarded house arrest.
    • Ami Israel Goldman
    • 11.02.10
    • 16:29

    Either inside Gideon Levy's or Amira Hass' homes.

  • 8. 0 0
    Good, Shin Bet and IDF are more strong together.
    • Jose Pedro
    • 11.02.10
    • 16:29

    Could prevent in past the Gilad Shalit dilema for sure..

  • 7. 0 0
    In times of war
    • Harry
    • 11.02.10
    • 15:51

    In times of war, people like these two would be labeled as spies and would be quickly executed, usually by firing squad. These are times of war, so why the political correctness? What purpose does it serve to collect hundreds and thousands of these people in Israeli prisons? By keeping these people, you lose the deterrence that executions would provide, and create incentive for more incidents like this one, where killing or capturing Israeli soldiers is used to try to get these prisoners released. Harry

  • 6. 0 0
    What do you expect ?
    • sam
    • 11.02.10
    • 15:30

    What do you expect from a people who have thousands of their people jailed without trial, live in blockeded areas, have thier land taken away, have had their ancestors driven into refugee camps from homes lived in for hundreds of years ?. Facing a brutal occupier armed to the teeth with latest US arms, them themselves armed with homemade rockets ?. I know what i and the majority of mankind would do, exactly as these men are doing.

  • 5. 0 0
    Hamas Criminals
    • Louis Fried
    • 11.02.10
    • 15:21

    I suppose now that Burston, Levy et al will write a sympathetic piece about these two terrorists saying that we should sympathize with them because of their deprived upbringing.

  • 4. 0 0
    HAMAS LOVERS OF PEACE
    • Mark from Georgia
    • 11.02.10
    • 15:21

    The tip of the iceberg, you know for everyone of these incidents made public there are probably ten we won't hear about. The double dealing Hamas talking about giving up Shalit while killing another IDF soldier for a dead body trade later, or first trading the dead body for more prisoner's while keeping Shalit as an ace-in-the-hole for another trade. Now we know why the Shalit deal fell through. This is who Israel is expected to make a peace deal with? A group with no honor and whose word cannot be trusted, with one exception, when they say they want to destroy Israel and will not honor any agreements with Israel. This perverse plot proves that fact. They talked of a trade while planning another murder/kidnapping of an IDF soldier to cover all the bases. So why do people still insist they are sincere about peace?

  • 3. 0 0
    Ugly faces, ugly intent
    • Yonatan
    • 11.02.10
    • 15:18

    The face is a mirror of the soul.

  • 2. 0 0
    This injustice will not go unpunished
    • Ahmed Habib
    • 11.02.10
    • 15:06

    What right does israel have to arrest and hold these men? They have the right and duty to fight occupation. israel has no right to stop them and must release them right now unconditionally.

  • 1. 0 0
    kol hakavod shin bet!
    • Chrisa Haberland
    • 11.02.10
    • 15:04

    1