Israeli security officials on Monday revealed more details about seven east Jerusalem residents accused of passing funds to jailed Hamas and Islamic Jihad prisoners.
The suspected group leader, lawyer Shirin Isawiya, was arrested at checkpoint outside Jerusalem on April 22, 2010 with $100,000 and NIS 53,000 in cash as well a USB key. On the USB key, security officials found documents from imprisoned leaders of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
Following Isawiya's arrest, the Shin Bet (Israeli Security Agency) discovered other members of the smuggling ring, including Shirin's brothers Madhat Isawiya, a 37 year-old Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine activist who was released from an Israeli prison in 2009, and 16 year-old Rafat Isawiya. Both brothers come from the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Issawiya.
The others suspects caught in the investigation were Salim Abed al-Rahma, a post office manager in Atarot; a post office work in A-tor, near Jerusalem; Sufayeen Zabda, a lawyer who is said to have served as a courier from Gaza; and Malsem Hala'ila, who also was a courier from Gaza.
The couriers in the group are accused of transferring tens of thousands of dollars weekly from Hamas and Islamic Jihad affiliated charities in Gaza to Israel.
Security officials elaborated that the group of seven succeeded in funneling millions of shekels to security prisoners through postal bank accounts registered with both fake identity numbers and the numbers of deceased Gazan residents.
Prison regulations limit monthly funds transfers to prisoners to NIS 1300 per month.
"This will strike a serious blow to Hamas and Islamic Jihad and their attempts to coordinate terror activities from prison," a security official said.