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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Israeli companies suspected of aiding Hamas and Islamic Jihad |
| 2007-02-26 |
| The police's international crimes unit is investigating whether two Israeli companies, both based in Ramat Gan, helped fund the activities of terror organizations. Shintraco, which imports and markets basic food products, and Mayan, which provides freight forwarding and customs brokerage services, are suspected of helping a Palestinian company circumvent import restrictions imposed by Israel after it became clear that the company had financially supported Hamas and Islamic Jihad activity in the Palestinian territories. Police have arrested Shalum Hatuka, the managing director of Shintraco, who denied all charges. The Petah Tikva Magistrate's Court extended Hatuka's remand by two days yesterday. Other workers at both companies were detained for questioning. The international crimes unit began its investigation last year in the wake of intelligence information relating to the two Israeli companies. The Shin Bet security service, Israel Tax Authority, Defense Ministry and the Justice Ministry unit that investigates money-laundering were all involved in the probe. Shintraco is suspected of working with Palestinian company Faiz Abu Akar, which also imports and exports food products. The defense minister declared the Palestinian company to be an unauthorized organization in 2005 due to findings that it had systematically assisted Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Police suspect that the Abu Akar company used Shintraco and Mayan to get around import restrictions in a bid to import goods to the Gaza Strip. Police said yesterday that the Defense Ministry had previously told Shintraco owners that they were not authorized to have any business ties with Abu Akar. Mayan had also been told that the sanctions had been imposed on the Palestinian company. Police have reported an increase over the past year in the flow of clandestine finance to Palestinian militant groups squeezed by a financial blockade imposed by international aid donors since Hamas last year won parliamentary elections and control of the Palestinian government. |
| Posted by:ryuge |
| #2 Actually you do. Unfortunately, the other side is the only one allowed to carry it out. |
| Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2007-02-26 16:48 |
| #1 Too bad we don't have death penalty. |
| Posted by: gromgoru 2007-02-26 07:59 |