Special Information Bulletin
Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center
at the Center for Special Studies (C.S.S) October 2004

The Palestinian Authority's support of Hamas' suicide terrorism:
Documents seized during Operation Defensive Shield reveal that the
Palestinian Ministry of Social Affairs granted a sum of $2,000
to the father of the terrorist who had perpetrated the suicide bombing
attack at
Tel-Aviv's Dolphinarium (killing 21 Israeli civilians, most of whom
teenagers)

www.intelligence.org.il/eng/sib/10_04/oct_02.htm for illustrations
A poster commemorating Sa'id Hasan Houtari, the Hamas suicide bomber who
perpetrated the suicide bombing attack at Tel-Aviv's Dolphinarium, one of
the most murderous acts of terrorism perpetrated in the course of the
current Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In spite of Yasser Arafat's public
condemnation of the attack, the Palestinian Authority's Ministry of Social
Affairs granted the terrorist's father, who issued a public statement in
support of the terrorist act, a sum of $2,000 about two weeks after the
suicide bombing attack.

General characteristics

1.On June 1, 2001, Sa'id Hasan Houtari, a Hamas suicide bomber, perpetrated
a suicide bombing attack outside a discotheque at Tel-Aviv's Dolphinarium.
21 Israeli civilians -mostly teenagers -were killed, and 83 were wounded in
the attack. The suicide bomber was sent to perpetrate the suicide bombing
attack by Abd al-Rahman Hamad, head of the Hamas operative infrastructure in
Qalqilya, who was killed by IDF forces six months later.

2.Among the materials seized in the course of Operation Defensive Shield
were two documents issued by the Martyrs' Families and Injured Care
Establishment, which falls under the authority of the Palestinian Authority'
s Ministry of Social Affairs. The documents address the transfer of a grant
in the sum of $2,000 to the father of the suicide bomber, who was living in
Jordan at that time (June 18, 2001) ( see Appendices A, B ). The transfer
was made in spite of the suicide bomber's Hamas affiliation, in spite of the
father's public support of the suicide bombing attack (see Appendix G ), and
in spite of Yasser Arafat's public condemnation of the suicide bombing
attack (see Appendix E ).

3.The transfer of the grant-one more cog in the terror-supportive
mechanism-is yet another testimony of the hands-on support provided by
Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian Authority and its institutions to suicide
terrorism, in complete contradiction of Yasser Arafat's public statements
given whenever a murderous terrorist attack occurs.

4.In light of the above, it is worth mentioning that several days after the
grant was issued, a German television channel reported that Yasser Arafat
had sent the suicide terrorist's father, through the Palestinian Authority
ambassador in Jordan, a letter commending his son's act and stating that it
was a "wonderful model of heroism, manhood and willingness for
self-sacrifice" (see Appendix I ). Yasser Arafat's office denied the
truthfulness of the report and claimed the letter was forged; however, the
transfer documents and a similar letter written by Yasser Arafat found among
seized documents[1] in the past serve to complement the credibility of the
German television station's report.

[1] The report on the letter is reminiscent of a similar affair: Among
documents seized in the past was a letter of condolence addressed by Yasser
Arafat to the family of Amer Mansour al-Khudeiri, a Hamas operative from
Tulkarm who was involved in preparations for suicide bombing attacks,
including the first stages of preparations for the Park hotel suicide
bombing attack in Netanya in March 2002. In his letter of condolence, Yasser
Arafat uses Islamic terminology, also used by Hamas, encouraging and
justifying suicide bombing attacks [the story was analyzed in an information
bulletin published by the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center in
November 2003, English edition].

5.It should be noted that the transfer of the support grant to Jordan (where
the father of the suicide bomber was staying) was carried out through the
Arab Bank branch in Al-Bireh. The bank is well-known for being a preferred
channel used by the terrorist organizations and the Palestinian Authority
for transferring funds for terrorist supportive activities (payments to
families of killed, wounded, imprisoned and wanted terrorists). Given the
far-reaching resonance of the Dolphinarium suicide bombing, it can be
assumed that the managers of the Arab Bank branch in Al-Bireh were well
aware of the purpose and destination of the grant transferred by their bank.

Appendix A
www.intelligence.org.il/eng/sib/10_04/oct_02.htm for illustrations

$2,000 transferred to the father of the Dolphinarium suicide bomber by
the Palestinian Authority's Ministry of Social Affairs

In the name of Allah the compassionate and the merciful
The Palestinian National Authority
Ministry of Social Affairs
Martyrs' Families and Injured Care Establishment
[Emblem of the Palestinian Authority]
Date: June 17, 2001
The esteemed directors of the Arab Bank-Al-Bireh[2]
Greetings,
Kindly transfer a sum of two thousand [in words and in numbers] US dollars
to the following beneficiary:
Hasan Hussein Hasan Houtari [the father of the suicide bomber[3]]
The Arab Bank [branch]- Al-Russeifa / Jordan
Account no.: 600/21697-6
Please charge our account no. 510/625658
Thank you for your kind cooperation
Dr. Yousef Ahmad Jobran [Note: In charge of the Martyrs' Families and
Injured Care Establishment, which falls under the authority of the
Palestinian Ministry of Social Affairs, headed by Intisar al-Wazir, aka Umm
Jihad].
(handwritten signature)
Ramallah Telefax: 02-2986268

[2] At that time, the Dolphinarium suicide bombing attack gained wide
exposure across Palestinian and international media. It can be assumed,
therefore, that the directors of the Arab Bank in Al-Bireh knew who was to
receive the transfer made by their bank.

[3] Born in Qalqilya in 1940, stayed abroad (in Jordan, probably) in the
years 2000-2003.

Appendix B
www.intelligence.org.il/eng/sib/10_04/oct_02.htm for illustrations

$2,000 transferred to the father of the Dolphinarium suicide bomber by
the Palestinian Authority's Ministry of Social Affairs-original document

Appendix C
www.intelligence.org.il/eng/sib/10_04/oct_02.htm for illustrations

Transfer of $2,000 from Ramallah to Jordan through the Arab Bank's Al-Bireh
office-annotated

Arab Bank LIAL / 0001
From: Arab Bank
Palestine -Ramallah
To: Arab Bank PLC,
Jordan branches center Amman- Jordan
Date: 2001/06/17
Msg no:
Please pay:
Test key:
Transfer reference no: 030TR003107PO1
Value date : 2001/06/18
Currency, amount: USD 2,000
Order cust / bank: Dr. Yousef Ahmad Jobran
Account with bank: ARABJOAX105 ARAB BANK PLC (Russeifa branch) Russeifa
Beneficiary: Hasan Hussein Hasan Houtari [the father of the suicide bomber]
A/C 21697-6/600
Details of chgs: BEN
Notice:
Applicant: Dr. Yousef Ahmad Jobran [in charge of the Martyrs' Families and
Injured Care Establishment]
We carried out your instructions by debting your account 9030-625658-9-510
Paying currency: US dollar
Equivalent amount: 2,000.00
Commission: 2.82
Date: 2001/06/17
Postage/ swift: 7.06
Transfer amount: USD 2,000.00
Total: USD 2,009.88
Arab Bank
Al-Beirah branch

Appendix D
www.intelligence.org.il/eng/sib/10_04/oct_02.htm for illustrations

Transfer of $2,000 from Ramallah to Jordan through
the Arab Bank's Al-Bireh office-original document

Appendix E
www.intelligence.org.il/eng/sib/10_04/oct_02.htm for illustrations

Yasser Arafat's public condemnation: Yasser Arafat's declaration at a press
conference attended by German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer and the
personal delegate of UN Secretary General, Terje Larsen, held one day after
the Dolphinarium suicide bombing attack.
Arafat pledged to make the utmost effort to put an end to the bloodbath [as
reported on Radio Palestine, June 2, 2001, 16:17]
From an article by Rashid Hilal:

Yasser Arafat held a press conference at the presidential compound in
Ramallah, attended by German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer and the
personal delegate of the UN Secretary General, Terje Larsen. At the
beginning of the press conference, Yasser Arafat thanked the German
government for assisting the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian
people and for its efforts to protect the peace process.

What follows is the translation of a relevant fragment of Arafat's speech :

"On July 2, 2001, at 02:30 in the morning, we issued an official statement
on behalf of the leadership. However, I personally stress the [following]
message: we have condemned, in an official statement, the act of explosion
that occurred in Tel-Aviv on the night of June 1, 2001. I hereby reiterate
our condemnation of the unfortunate act that occurred in Tel-Aviv against
civilians and of any act that leads to the deaths of Israeli or Palestinian
civilians.

We have exerted and we are willing to exert every possible effort in order
to put an end to the bloodbath of our people and the Israeli people and do
whatever it takes to achieve an immediate, immediate, immediate and
unconditional ceasefire, in a way that is both genuine and effective, in a
way that is both genuine and effective. This must be achieved through a
concerted effort so that we can return to the negotiation table and
implement the recommendations of the Mitchell Committee and the
Egyptian-Jordanian initiative.

We have asked for immediate international effort to guide us in that
direction, in order to ensure the future of our children and theirs [4], and
protect the peace process, the peace of the brave, between the peoples, the
Israeli and the Palestinian, and in all the Arab and other venues in the
region."

[4] In practice, the Palestinian Authority and Hamas turned the figures of
the mastermind behind the Dolphinarium suicide bombing attack and the
suicide bomber himself into role models for the young generation of
Palestinians (see Appendix F).

Appendix F

www.intelligence.org.il/eng/sib/10_04/oct_02.htm for illustrations

The suicide martyrdom culture: The sender of the Dolphinarium suicide bomber
and the suicide bomber himself turn into role models in the Palestinian
Authority administered territories

Terrorists as role models: A Hamas poster commemorating shahids, mainly the
shahid Abd al-Rahman Hamad (center), head of Hamas' operative infrastructure
in Qalqilya, who dispatched the suicide bomber to the Dolphinarium suicide
bombing attack.

Terrorists as role models: A large photograph of Abd al-Rahman Hamad
(center), the mastermind behind the Dolphinarium suicide bombing attack. On
the left-Sa'id Hasan Houtari, the suicide bomber. The photograph,
accompanied by memorial stones, was placed at the entrance of the Palestine
elementary school in Qalqilya (the photograph was taken by IDF in January
2003).

Appendix G
www.intelligence.org.il/eng/sib/10_04/oct_02.htm for illustrations

Hasan Hussein Houtari, the father of suicide bomber Sa'id Houtari, praises
his son's act on Hamas' official website (early June 2002)

1.Immediately following the Dolphinarium suicide bombing attack, the Hamas
website published a statement by Hasan Hussein Houtari, the father of the
suicide bomber (who received a grant of $2,000 from the Palestinian Ministry
of Social Affairs approximately two weeks after the attack).

2.The father's main statements:
a.He claims he was overjoyed when he received the news of his son's death
in the act of suicide martyrdom (istishhad) in Tel-Aviv.
b.He wishes that his remaining four sons become martyrs as well, die for
the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and cause heavy casualties among the enemy, as their
brother did.
c.He praises Allah that the act was a success, and notes his feeling of
pride of his son for carrying out the highest-casualty act of suicide
martyrdom in five years.

Appendix H
www.intelligence.org.il/eng/sib/10_04/oct_02.htm for illustrations

Hasan Hussein Houtari (who received the $2,000 grant), the father of suicide
bomber Sa'id Houtari, praises his son's act on Hamas' official website
(early June 2002)-original document

Appendix I
www.intelligence.org.il/eng/sib/10_04/oct_02.htm for illustrations

A German TV channel reports having a letter in which Yasser Arafat praises
the Dolphinarium suicide bomber. Arafat's office previously claimed that the
letter was forged (as reported on Radio Beirut, June 23, 2001)

1.A German TV station reported that they had a letter in which Yasser Arafat
praised the act of istishhad [suicide bombing] carried out on June 1, 2001
near a discotheque in Tel-Aviv, which led to the deaths of 21 Zionists. The
[German] station reported that in his letter, Arafat praised the person who
carried out the act, saying he was a wonderful model of heroism, manhood,
and willingness for self-sacrifice since he had turned his body into a bomb.

2.Yasser Arafat's office in Ramallah stated that it was perfectly clear that
the letter was forged. The report went on to say that it was the Palestinian
embassy in Amman that formulated the letter according to Arafat's
instructions. Apparently, the embassy signed the letter with Arafat's name
and sent it to the house of the perpetrator of the suicide bombing attack,
Sa'id al-Houtari, in Jordan.

3.Note: The report was aired by Weltspiegel, a German TV (ARD/channel 1)
documentary series on foreign affairs, by its reporter in Amman, Joerg
Ambrester. The report stated that among the newspaper clippings found in the
possession of the Dolphinarium suicide bomber's sister, there was a letter
signed by Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat. The letter, written
by the Palestinian ambassador in Jordan in Arafat's name, stated that the
act of the suicide bomber was a model of heroism and sacrifice. Arafat's
office denied the existence of the letter and claimed it was forged.