Indictment Filed Against Tamra Resident for Contacting Hamas and Iran
An indictment for security offenses is filed against a 31-year-old Tamra resident accused of contacting Hamas in Gaza and Iranian intelligence operatives.
An indictment on security offenses will be filed this morning at the Haifa District Court against Sultan Abu al-Hija, a 31-year-old resident of Tamra. According to the Shin Bet and the Police Israel, the investigation revealed that he attempted to establish contact with the military wing of Hamas in the Gaza Strip and also contacted Iranian intelligence operatives.
Abu al-Hija was arrested on August 28 as part of a joint operation by the Shin Bet and the Central Unit of the Northern District. The arrest was carried out by fighters of the Northern National Guard in the Border Police, and he was transferred for interrogation on suspicion of multiple security offenses.
According to the findings of the investigation, Abu al-Hija approached the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, on several occasions in order to assist the organization covertly. Authorities did not specify at this stage how the approaches were made, what assistance the suspect sought to provide, or whether he received a response.
The investigation also revealed, according to the Shin Bet and the police, that Abu al-Hija contacted Iranian intelligence operatives. Authorities stated that he did not manage to carry out missions for those operatives before his arrest. No details were released regarding the nature of the contact or the assigned tasks.
Following about three weeks of interrogation by the Shin Bet and the Northern District Yaman, the Haifa District Prosecutor's Office is expected to file an indictment against him today at the Haifa District Court. This investigation joins a series of recent cases exposing ties between Israeli citizens and Iranian operatives.
