November 14th, 2005

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Attributed to "security sources" [Distributed by the IDF Spokesperson]

On November 14th, 2005, a joint ISA, IDF and Israeli police operation
was conducted to arrest wanted members of the Hamas infrastructure in
the city of Nablus.

Over the course of the last several months intelligence information has
indicated that the infrastructure had been operating extensively to
build explosive laboratories and accumulate explosives and to
manufacture explosive devices and belts to carry out terror bombings.

Amged Mahmed Halmi Hinawi, age 33, and a resident of the city of Nablus
was the head of the Hamas terror infrastructure in Nablus for the past
two years. During the attempt to arrest him, Hinawi broke out of the
house and opened fire at the arresting force with an AK-47 assault
rifle. The force returned fire and killed Hinawi.

Amged Hinawi began his terror activities in 1995 when, and together with
Halil Sharif, he carried out shooting attacks against Israelis. In 1996
they carried out a shooting attack at a Civil Administration bus,
wounding two passengers. The two carried out the attack from a private
vehicle and proceeded to a bus stop and began shooting civilians. Two
civilians were wounded in the attack, one of whom, an Israeli-American,
later died of his wounds. The second man was severely wounded.

In November 1995, Hinawi was involved in an additional shooting attack
with Sharif, in which Rabbi Uzi Nevo was critically wounded.

Security forces have made numerous arrests among members of the
infrastructure headed by Hinawi over the course of the past two years.
Despite this, Hinawi continued to recruit more operatives in order to
strengthen the infrastructure. The infrastructure was involved in
manufacturing explosive devices and belts with the intent of carrying
out suicide attack against Israeli targets.

Nine additional wanted Hamas terrorists were arrested by IDF forces
tonight in the West Bank.