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Israel Indicts Hamas Mastermind Behind West Bank Kidnapping and Murder of Three Teens

(Ha'aretz) Gili Cohen - Hussam Kawasme, 40, who headed the terror cell that kidnapped and murdered three Jewish teenagers in Gush Etzion in June, was charged in Ofer military court with organizing and funding the attack. Hussam was imprisoned between 1995 and 2002 for his activism in Hamas and his membership in a cell that carried out attacks. According to the charge sheet, the attack was funded through Hussam's brother, Mahmoud, who was freed in the prisoner release that freed Gilad Shalit and expelled to Gaza. Hussam received 220,000 shekels, used to buy two M-16 rifles, two pistols, and two cars, one used in the kidnapping and a getaway car. The killers, Marwan Kawasme and Amer Abu Aisheh, buried the three teens' bodies on land Hussam had purchased in January. Several residents of Hebron helped the killers hide, including former prisoner Arafat Qaqasmah, considered to be senior in Hamas in the Hebron area. An Israel Security Agency agent considered the attack to be an attempt by a local Hamas cell in Hebron to kidnap someone to use as a bargaining chip.
2014-09-05 00:00:00
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