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Tel Aviv [Israel], April 11 (ANI/TPS): A crime gang, who laundered millions of shekels funneled by Hamas terrorists in Turkey to others in Israel, has been indicted by Israeli police and security services.
Six Israeli Arabs living in Judea and Samaria were taken into custody for transferring and couriering smuggled terrorist funds between Hamas members and other terror groups. The Cyber Department of the State Attorney's Office then charged the group with contact with a foreign agent and dealing in terrorist property. More than three million shekels was discovered by Israeli Police and the Shin Bet agency in a joint operation with the Cyber Unit in Lahav 433 of the Israel Police and the General Security Service over the past month. A spokesperson said: "As part of an intensive investigation by the Shin Bet and the Israel Police, a complex and sophisticated infrastructure was uncovered that aimed to create platforms for bringing cash into Judea and Samaria, in the amount of millions of shekels... "This is a unique case that, through a combined effort by the Shin Bet together with the Israel Police, led to the broad exposure of a financial infrastructure based on Israeli Arabs, which operated for Hamas elements in Turkey and served as an "oxygen pipeline" and a significant funding route for terrorist infrastructures in Judea and Samaria. "Israel Police and Security Service...views with great seriousness any connection to terrorist elements and involvement in transfers of funds intended for terrorist infrastructures in Judea and Samaria and endangers the security of the State of Israel, and will continue to act in accordance with the authority granted to them by law and take the measures at their disposal to thwart such threats, and to severely punish all those involved." The six are named as Fadi Arabi, 33, Muhammad Tzitz, Adham Dolani, Suhail Bashir, and father and son William and Sami Hanna. Two others who live in Turkey also took part. Fadi Arabi who lives in Araba, in Judea and Samaria acted with his brother Nissim Arabi, who lives in Turkey, to open a financial route by opening financial platforms enabling cash to come into the country. The pair frequently changed tactics and couriers to keep the money hidden. Nissim acted alongside Wajdi Saadi, 41, originally from Jenin in Judea and Samaria and now also living in Turkey, who is a Hamas conduit. Fadi used his business endeavours and accessibility to bring in the large amount of cash in late 2024. Brothers Fadi and Nissim Arabi then recruited William and Sami Hanna to act as couriers for the money. After William and Sami were arrested, the Arabi brothers changed their methods and hired Mohammed al-Tzitz, 41, and Adham Dolani, 30. Another courier, Suhail Bashir, a resident of the Northern Israeli town of Sakhnin, was later used. The investigations showed that all of the couriers hired by the Arabi brothers were aware the money was from terrorist sources and intended for further terrorist activity. (ANI/TPS)
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