January 24th, 2006

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Attributed to "security sources" [Distributed by IDF SPOKESPERSON]

Hamas terrorist involved in the abduction and murder of Sasson Nuriel
arrested last night in Ramallah

During a joint IDF, ISA, and Border Police activity last night, January
24th 2006 in Ramallah, forces arrested Abdullah Arar, 30, a Hamas
terrorist. Arar, a resident of the village of Qarawat Bani Zeid,
northwest of Ramallah, was involved in the abduction and murder of
Sasson Nuriel, an Israeli civilian who was kidnapped into Ramallah by a
Hamas terror cell on September 21st 2005.

Arar and Nuriel had been acquainted for several years prior to Nuriel's
abduction, and Arar worked for Nuriel for a certain period of time. Arar
personally planned the abduction, including encouraging Nuriel to enter
Ramallah, and was directly involved in the murder.

During the month of September 2005, members of the terror cell
responsible for the abduction of Nuriel were arrested by the security
forces. In their questioning, they provided details regarding the
planning of Nuriel's abduction and additional terrorist attacks that
they were planning. Information provided in the questioning shows that
the cell responsible for abducting Nuriel had been operating under the
direction and guidance of members of Hamas terror infrastructure in the
Gaza Strip.