Background: The Polytechnic University in Hebron (Closed down)
IDF Spokesperson 15 January 2003

The Polytechnic University in Hebron was founded in 1978. The institute
offers various engineering programs and brings together some 1000 students
from throughout the West Bank. The students belong to a number of parties
identified with various terror organizations, such as: Hakatala Islamiya -
Hamas, Jam'a Islamiya - Islamic Jihad, Shabiba - Fatah and Jabhat al Amal -
which are left-wing elements. The different parties hold rallies that
include incitement to commit terrorist attacks.

The students exploit the university environment and the tools it provides
for planning and carrying out terrorist attacks. In addition, the students
acquire their knowledge in the preparation of explosives and sabotage
devices, both in classes and thanks to the resources available to them at
the university.

When IDF forces entered Hebron during Operation Defensive Shield (April
2002), 2 suitcases of explosives were found in the apartment of students
studying at the Polytechnic University in Hebron. In another incident,
during interrogation by the Israel Security Agency (ISA) a terrorist named
Mahmoud Abu Turki confessed that a member of his cell by the name of Ashraf
Asfour, a student at the Polytechnic University, used the Polytechnic's
computers to get into the Alazzadin al Kassam Website and download files
explaining how to prepare explosive devices.

It should be noted that in recent weeks a number of fatal attacks have been
carried out in the Hebron area, emanating from the Polytechnic University in
Hebron, in which 18 Israelis were murdered.

- On November 15, 2002, 12 Israelis were killed and over 20 others were
injured in a terrorist ambush along the "Worshipers' Route" in Hebron,
during which grenades were thrown and shots were fired at the security
forces. The terrorists were students at the Polytechnic University in
Hebron.

- On December 27, 2002, 2 IDF soldiers and 2 civilians were murdered and 10
were injured when 2 terrorists infiltrated a yeshiva in the settlement of
Otniel and went on a murderous rampage there. The terrorists who carried out
the attack were students at the Polytechnic University in Hebron, as was the
operative who directed the attack.

- On April 27, 2002, 4 Israeli civilians were killed when 3 terrorists
infiltrated the settlement of Adora. Those carrying out the attack were also
students at the Polytechnic University in Hebron.

Below are details of the main parties identified with the terror
organizations Hamas and Islamic Jihad:

The Hakatala Islamiya party at the Polytechnic University

Hakatala Islamiya is headed by Hamas operatives whose activities in this
framework serve as a springboard for more senior positions in the Hamas
organization. Hakatala Islamiya organizes conferences and rallies in which
the party's positions are transmitted, including rejection of a political
solution to the dispute, encouragement of terrorist attacks and so forth.
Hakatala Islamiya serves as a central focus for identifying and recruiting
operatives for the military wing of Hamas, for the purpose of carrying out
attacks against Israeli targets. Thus a senior Hamas cell in Hebron, which
carried out a number of fatal attacks during the year, in which Israeli
civilians were murdered, includes many students from the Polytechnic
University in Hebron. Among the attacks carried out by the cell was the
infiltration into the settlement of Adora in April 2002, and the
infiltration into Karmei Zur in June 2002.

Notable terrorists and Hamas operatives who are students at the Polytechnic
University:

Tarek Dopash, carried out the infiltration of Adora in April 27, 2002 in
which 4 Israelis were killed. Fadi Douik, the other terrorist in the Adora
attack, who succeeded in escaping and was captured two months later by the
ISA.
Rafat Jouaba, a terrorist who was on his way to carry out a suicide attack
inside Israel, but was killed in Hebron on April 11, 2002 while wearing an
explosive belt. Mourad Shahin, a senior operative who collaborated with
senior members of the Hamas infrastructure in Hebron.
Muhammad Younes Oudeh, a senior member of Hakatala Islamiya and liaison for
senior members of Hamas. Muhammad Abu Wardeh, responsible for bomb attacks
in Jerusalem in 1996 in which dozens of Israelis were killed.

The Jam'a Islamiya party at the Polytechnic University

The Jam'a Islamiya party is headed by students who are active in Islamic
Jihad. During the current wave of events many of them joined in the military
activities of Islamic Jihad. Students from Jam'a Islamiya were involved in
the terrorist ambush on the "Worshipers Route", in which 12 people were
killed, and the infiltration into Otniel in which 4 people were killed.
Notable terrorists and Islamic Jihad operatives who were students at the
Polytechnic University:
Muhammad Abu Tabiah, originally from Jenin, returned to his town after
completing his studies and participated in perpetration of the attacks by
the Palestinian Islamic Jihad infrastructure in Jenin, headed by the suicide
attack at Megiddo Junction in June 2002 in which 17 Israelis were murdered.
Wala'a Sarour, one of the terrorists who carried out the "Worshipers Route"
ambush killing 12 members of the security forces.
Akram Hanini, one of the terrorists involved in the "Worshipers Route"
ambush in which 12 members of the security forces were killed.
Ahmed Pakiya, carried out the infiltration into yeshiva in Otniel in which 2
Israelis were killed. Muhammad Shahin, involved in the infiltration into the
yeshiva in Otniel in which 4 Israelis were killed.
Iman Tabish, a senior Islamic Jihad military operative who was involved in
preparing the infiltration into yeshiva in Otniel.
Nadel Janidi, a terrorist who was arrested in November 2001 and confessed
under interrogation by the Israel Security Agency (ISA) that he had been
recruited to carry out a suicide attack for the organization.
Muhammad Seidar, headed the Jam'a party at the Polytechnic University in
Hebron and today heads the military wing of Islamic Jihad in Hebron.