Gaza Terrorists-Where your ZAKAT goes

February 12th, 2008  IDF SPOKESPERSONS ANNOUNCEMENT  Terrorist Finance Network Discovered  During a joint IDF, ISA, Civil Administration and Israeli Police operation  overnight, the forces searched homes and offices belonging to 14 Palestinian  money changers suspected of being involved in transferring money for the  financing of terrorist activity in Jenin, Nablus, Tulkarm, Hebron and  Ramallah.  IDF forces arrested five money changers and confiscated money, documents and  magnetic media. A total of three million NIS was confiscated and transferred  to the legal authority of the Bank of Israel. In addition, three handguns  and other gun parts were discovered in the possession of four of the money  changers.  In recent years, terror organizations have raised millions of dollars and  distributed the funds in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip. The money is  transferred in various ways, mainly via money changers. During 2007 there  was a marked increase in the sums of money transferred to Palestinian terror  organizations.  These funds enable terrorist organizations to maintain and expand their  infrastructure, to finance and train terror operatives and to purchase and  manufacture weapons for the perpetration of terrorist attacks against  Israel. These finances "fuel the wheels of terrorism," and motivate the  terror organizations to develop various conduits to allow the transfer of  the funds from abroad.  Regional money changers maintain direct relations with foreign money  changers, located in Arab countries, who are connected to various global  terrorist organizations. The transfer process occurs in the following  manner: Money changers abroad deliver funds to money changers in Judea,  Samaria and the Gaza Strip, who then deliver them to terror operatives. It  is important to emphasize that there is no supervision of money changers by  the Palestinians Authority, which means that the money changers can take  part in terrorist activity without restrictions or fear of sanctions.  This operation is part of ongoing operations carried out in recent years by  the IDF, the ISA, the Israel Police and other authorities, against the  sources financing terror organizations, including:  - In 2007 a Hamas financing operation was discovered in Jerusalem. This  discovery revealed the Hamas fundraising routes from abroad, in addition to  evidence of intensive Hamas activity in Jerusalem financed by the sources  abroad. In the third quarter of 2007, a sum of approximately 12 million NIS  was transferred to terror organizations. Most of the finances, approximately  8 million NIS, were transferred to the Hamas terrorist infrastructure in  Judea and Samaria.  - December, 2005 - The "Abu Akar" Company from Gaza was declared illegal by  the Minister of Defense due to its assistance in funding terror  organizations.  - February, 2004 - 37 million NIS belonging to terror organizations were  confiscated from main bank branches in Ramallah. These terror organizations  provide "rewards for terror" - financial support to the families of  terrorists injured, killed or imprisoned as a result of terrorist activity.  These incentives encourage Palestinians to conduct terror attacks. Due to  the provision of these funds, terrorists need not worry about the future of  their families after a terror attack.  The IDF will continue to operate using all legal measures against anyone  involved in assisting or funding terrorism in order to defend the security  and lives of the citizens of Israel.     -------------------------------------------- IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis Website: www.imra.org.il   --------------------------------------------