15 leaders of Islamic Solidarity Movement arrested   
 
By Amos Harel and Yair Ettinger, Haaretz Correspondents 
 
Public Security Minister Tzachi Hanegbi said Tuesday that the 15 leaders of the northern branch of the Islamic Solidarity Movement in Israel arrested in an overnight raid, had funneled millions of shekels to the militant Hamas movement, "oiling the wheels of murderous terrorism." 

He added that more arrests are expected in the near future. 

The head of the organization, Sheikh Ra'ad Salah, was among 13 detained in an initial raid, in which dozens of security officials, including police officers and personnel from the Shin Bet security service, swooped down on the northern city of Umm al-Fahm at around 1 A.M., entering the offices of the Al-Aqsa Association, where they confiscated documents and equipment. A 14th suspect, reportedly the treasurer of the Islamic Solidarity Movement, was arrested later on Tuesday morning and the was arrested in the afternoon. 

Islamic Solidarity Movement spokesman Tawfik Mahmeed denied any connection between the Israeli-Arab group and any movement in the territories. "There is no connection of any kind between the Islamic Solidarity Movement, either the northern or the southern branches, and any organzation of any kind in the territories." 

Hamas said in a statement that the arrests were "a new escalation against Muslims and Arabs in occupied Palestine." 

The Islamic Solidarity Movement later issued a statement condemning the arrests and calling on Israeli Arabs to stages protest marches and demonstrations. It said a mass protest rally would be held in the Arab town of Umm al-Fahm on Saturday. 

Police forces were preparing for the arrival of some 1,000 Israeli Arabs at the Tel Aviv Magistrates' Court, where the detainees are to have their remand extended in the afternoon. 

Northern district police stepped up their presence in Arab villages Tuesday morning fearing the possibility of violence among the families of the detainees and among Israeli Arabs. 

Umm al-Fahm was a focus of the October, 2000 unrest in which Israeli police, clashing with rioters, shot dead 13 Israeli Arabs. The incident caused widespread rage among Israeli Arabs, and there were fears throughout Israel that the arrests and expected protests could rekindle violence. 

Hanegbi said the evidence uncovered against the 14 "proves that the suspects engaged in the illegal transfer of millions of shekels from abroad, from illegal NGOs and companies, to activities of the Hamas in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) and also in the Gaza Strip. 

"There is no doubt that the suspects knew that the money went to Hamas. Hamas is a terrorist organization. There is no way to make a distinction between acquiring an explosive device and aid to families of suicide bombers, or transferring funds to jailed security prisoners and Hamas arch-murderers serving life terms. We are speaking of lighting the bonfire of terror, and throwing gasoline into it so that it will continue to burn." 

Hanegbi said the funds were camouflaged in the framework of charity funds and humanitarian aid, but its practical significance was in oiling the wheels of murderous terrorism that has killed more than 640 innocent Israelis in the last two and a half years." 

The transfer of these monies was Israel's senior political echelon had recently ordered the defense establishment, police and prosecution to take broad immediate action against the leadership of the Islamic Movement. 

Several factors explain the move - increasing worry about the involvement of movement activists in aiding Palestinian terror organizations and Hezbollah and the fact that movement activists who hold Israeli citizenship have participated in terror attacks. 

The Islamic Movement in Israel, particularly its more extreme northern branch under the leadership of Sheikh Ra'ad Salah, had been targeted for some time by defense agencies. 

More than two years ago, high-ranking Shin Bet officials expressed support for outlawing the northern branch. That step has never been taken for various reasons, but support for the move is growing among ministers whose offices deal with the movement and in the defense establishment. 

Outlawing the movement would mean it could not hold rallies or issue publications and its offices would be closed in Israeli Arab townships. The movement would be barred from running candidates for public office. 

For some time, security sources have claimed that the movement's leadership has been involved in incitement against the state and its official institutions. But the greatest fear is the movement serving as a channel for funds from overseas and the Arab sector to go to Islamic organizations in the territories. 

The funds are said to be used for humanitarian purposes, but the security establishment has evidence that much money ends up in the hands of terror groups. 

Intelligence sees link between Islamic Movement 
Recently, for the first time, intelligence information had implicated senior Islamic Movement officials as actively helping terrorism. Over the last two years, particularly since the outbreak of the intifada and the October 2000 riots in the Arab sector, there has been a sharp rise in the number of Israeli Arabs arrested as suspects in terror activities. Some have been prosecuted and are now serving long sentences. 

In several cases, the suspects were members of the Islamic Movement. In most cases, the suspects were paid to transport suicide bombers from the territories into Israel to their targets. But there have been cases in which Israeli Arabs provided help in preparing terror attacks, collecting intelligence for Hezbollah. 

In September 1999, four members of the Islamic Movement tried to conduct terror operations aboard buses in Haifa and Tiberias, which were orchestrated by Hamas activists in the territories. Three of the four were killed in the attempted attacks. 

In September 2001, a number of Umm al-Fahm residents were arrested after they were recruited into the Hamas branch in Nablus to conduct suicide attacks. Inter alia, the cell plotted to bomb a Hadera branch of Hapoalim bank. 

That same month, a member of the Islamic Movement from Abu Snan in the Galilee conducted a suicide attack on the Nahariya train station, killing three people. Other Israeli Arabs have also knowingly helped out in terror attacks, says the Shin Bet.