U.S. Arrests Hamas Leader on Israeli Conspiracy Warrant
Federal agents arrested the political leader of the militant Islamic group Hamas on Tuesday, on a warrant from the Israeli government charging him with financing terrorist activities and conspiring to commit murder.
Israel is seeking to extradite Mousa abu Marzuk from New York, where he has been held since July 25 after being detained at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport while trying to re-enter the country. The warrant from a judge of the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court charged that there is evidence that Abu Marzuk, as head of the political bureau of Hamas, conspired to commit murder, manslaughter, grievous harm and other crimes under Israel’s penal law.
It said that since Jan. 1, 1989, at least 79 Israeli and foreign civilians and 40 military and security personnel have been murdered in terrorist attacks by Hamas.
Stanley L. Cohen, one of Abu Marzuk’s lawyers, labeled the warrant “sweeping claims” that are “replete with inadmissible hearsay.” He denied that his client had any links to terrorism.
Abu Marzuk was detained for a hearing Oct. 17 on the extradition request. At that time, Israel must file supporting evidence.
Israel’s warrant said the most significant information about Abu Marzuk was obtained from Hamas member Mohammed Hamid Khalil Salah, who lived in the United States and was arrested while entering Israel in early 1993. On Abu Marzuk’s authorization, Salah reportedly recruited people for training in explosives to fight in the “holy war.” The warrant said the Hamas political leader gave Salah hundreds of thousands of dollars “to finance terrorist attacks.”
Court papers also allege that before Salah traveled to Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories in August and December, 1992, he met with Abu Marzuk, who gave him explicit instructions and cash to be used in part to finance military operations.
The warrant said that Salah met with a Hamas activist in the Hebron area in August and gave him the cash and instructions to use about $45,000 of the money to buy weapons and ammunition. The weapons were used in Hamas attacks, Israel charged.
Goldman reported from New York and Ostrow from Washington.
--- UNPUBLISHED NOTE ---
In some 1997 stories, and stories from 2001 onward, Mousa abu Marzuk is referred to as Mousa abu Marzook.
--- END NOTE ---
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
