PA CLOSES WEST BANK NGOS SUSPECTED OF TERROR

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001513 SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA, NSC FOR ABRAMS/PASCUAL/SINGH E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/15/2018 TAGS: KWBG PTER PGOV IS SUBJECT: PA CLOSES WEST BANK NGOS SUSPECTED OF TERROR CONNECTIONS Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (S) Summary. PA security contacts report closure of at least 12 institutions suspected of Hamas connections August 4-13, on orders from PM Salam Fayyad and PA Interior Minister Abd al-Razaq al-Yahya. According to President Abbas' Military Secretary, BG Jihad al-Jayusi, Abbas and Fayyad ordered the campaign against Hamas-connected organizations, and believe it has been effective in disrupting Hamas plans to create disorder and embarrass the PA. Several of the institutions were on "target lists" provided by the IDF in an initial step to improve information sharing on terrorist organizations. Institutions closed and persons arrested for suspected Hamas involvement are listed below. End summary. PA Shuts Down Nablus NGOs, Orders Management Changes -------------- ¶2. (C) Mukhabarat contacts report that closure orders were enforced on the al-Iman Forum for Quran Memorization and the al-Quds Technical and Advertisement Center in Nablus for "illegal activities" on August 9, and two Hamas-linked print shops on August 13, confiscating all equipment. These contacts said PA Interior Minister Abd al-Razaq al-Yahya issued an order requiring that the managing boards of these organizations be replaced before they would be allowed to reopen. The President's Military Secretary, BG Jihad al-Jayusi, told PolOff August 12 that President Abbas and PM Fayyad ordered the campaign against Hamas-connected organizations. They believe it has been effective in disrupting Hamas plans to create disorder and embarrass the PA, according to BG al-Jayusi. PA Security Closes Organizations in Hebron Suspected of Hamas Links -------------- ¶3. (S) PA Mukhabarat contacts report that PA Security Forces (PASF) raided the Tafuh Cultural Center near Hebron August 6. Hamas spokesmen told press that PASF arrested suspected Hamas supporters Harb Ahmad Zriqat, Muhammad Ahmad Zriqat and Shahir Khamaysa, closed the Center, and confiscated its furniture and equipment. Mukhabarat contacts report a second raid August 6 on the al-Aqsa Orphans School, a subsidiary of the Islamic Charitable Society, in Bayt Ula village (near Hebron). (Note: The Islamic Charitable Society has been a frequent target of IDF raids. Neither the Tufuh Center nor the al-Aqsa School were on any "target lists" that the IDF has provided the PA in the past two weeks, but Mukhabarat contacts say they informed the GOI August 4 that these two institutions would be closed for suspected Hamas connections. End note). ¶4. (S) Mukhabarat contacts report additional August 4-6 raids on: a) the al-Anwar Center for Culture and Arts in Dura (SW of Hebron),detaining teachers Na'im Talahmih and Salam al-Hraybat while they were giving a lecture to students (Note: this was a site on a list of institutions that the GOI asked the PA to close. End note); b) The Islamic Studies complex in al-Dhahariya (SW corner of the West Bank) (Note: The GOI asked the PA to close the "Islamic Charity Association" in Dahariya; it is not clear if the GOI-listed institution is the same as the complex closed by the PA. End note); c) Printing/pamphlet businesses in Hebron's al-Huda and Lujayn neighborhoods (Note: Palestinian press report that Interior Minster Abd al-Razaq al-Yahya ordered these institutions and businesses closed indefinitely after receiving information that they were producing materials inciting violence or slandering the PA; they also appear to be targets listed on the GOI target list. End note); d) A school in Bayt Ummar suspected of Hamas connections. The school remains closed. Additional Anti-Terror Arrests -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Palestinian press reported additional PA arrest raids August 6-13, and detention of the following 22 suspects: -- Hassan Qaddumi, a Baytunia municipal employee, on August 13 for Hamas activities; -- Nassir Qasrawi, legislative office director in Salfit, on August 13 for Hamas activities; JERUSALEM 00001513 002 OF 002 -- Majid al-Qadi, mosque employee in Zayta (near Ramallah) on August 13 for Hamas activities; -- Abdallah al-Sa'afin and Khaldun Maythalum, in the Ramallah area on August 13 for Hamas activities; -- Mahir Abd al-Qadr Shalaldah and Nu'ah Manasra, in villages near Hebron on August 13 on suspicion of running Hamas front organizations; -- Mahmud Khadr and Samr Subih, in al-Fara' Refugee Camp (Tubas Governorate),on August 13 for Hamas activities; -- Hussam Harb Abu Hassan, Fuad al-Khafish and Ahmad Abd al-Hafiz, in the Salfit area on August 13, for Hamas activities; -- Mu'taz al-Juba' and Islamic charity attorney Abd al-Karim Farrah, in Hebron August 11; -- Basim Salayman, arrested for Hamas activities in Hebron August 11; -- Hamas members Shaykh Shukri Awad and Muhammad Shilbaya, arrested by the Mukhabarat August 11 near Abu Bakr al-Siddiq Mosque in Nur Shams Refugee Camp (Tulkarm),for possession of incitement material and instigating disorder; -- Walid Al-Sayyid, in Balata Camp on August 6, for suspected Hamas membership. Walid is the brother of Ashraf Al-Sayyid, who carried out a bombing attack in Israel; -- Islam Riyad Budayr, an al-Najah University student on August 6, for suspected links to PIJ. Islam's brother, Riyad Budayr, was an al-Quds Brigades (PIJ mil-wing) leader before he was killed by Israeli security forces; -- Shaykh Zaki al-'Amarna, imam of al-Shuhada mosque in Kubar village (near Ramallah) on August 6, for suspected terrorist ties; -- Umar al-Barghouthi, on August 6 for suspected terrorist ties; -- Muntassir Arhamiyyah, on August 6 for suspected terrorist ties. WALLES