Arafat Guards Guilty of Treason
A military court convicted three members of Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat’s elite bodyguard unit of treason Tuesday and sentenced the ringleader to death.
“The court finds you guilty of working for a foreign country, for spying for the Israeli intelligence service,” the judge, Col. Mohammed Jaber, said before sentencing the three officers and a construction worker.
Jaber sentenced Fawzi Sawalha, 23, to die; Khaldon Athamneh, 24, to life in prison with hard labor; and Taher Jamllan, 22, to 15 years in prison with hard labor. Construction worker Nasser Hamdneh, 25, was sentenced to five years with hard labor.
The four were convicted of sharing sensitive information with Israel. No other details of the charges were available.
Defense lawyer Abdel Karim Hamad said he will appeal the sentences.
The men were arrested in late June by Col. Jihad Musami, who was accused last month by Israel of planning to attack Israeli settlers and soldiers. Musami denied the charges and said Israel went after him to protect Palestinians who had collaborated with the Jewish state.
Musami has been in Palestinian police custody since Israel made its accusation last month.
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