WND EXCLUSIVE

'MASTERMIND' OF RAMADAN OFFENSIVE IN HOLY LAND

Turkey-based terrorist directs Hamas wing from sanctuary in NATO country

Aaron Klein

TEL AVIV – Israel is eyeing a Hamas mastermind headquartered in NATO-member Turkey as one of the likely architects of a series of purported “lone wolf” terrorist attacks carried out in recent weeks in Jerusalem and the West Bank, WND has learned.

Informed security sources here say the tracks of the recent bloody campaign apparently lead to Salah al-Arouri, a Hamas leader based in Turkey who has amassed significant power within the terror group’s infrastructure and directs his own rival Hamas wing from his sanctuary in the NATO country.

In the last week alone, there have been 11 terrorist attacks here, claiming the lives of two Israelis and wounding others.

Many of the attacks took place during the Ramadan holiday, which began June 18 and runs through July 17.

On Monday, an Israeli soldier was stabbed at the Rachel Crossing checkpoint leading to Bethlehem.

That same day, four civilians were shot at close range near the West Bank Jewish community of Shvut Rachel, with one of the injured dying of his wounds the next day.

Other attacks and attempted attacks, including stabbings and shootings, have taken place over the last month.

On Wednesday, Israel’s Shin Bet security services said it conducted a joint operation with the Israel Defense Forces in recent months that uncovered Hamas terrorist cells in major West Bank cities, including Hebron, Nablus and the Islamic Jihad stronghold of Jenin. Shin Bet said it arrested a total of 40 Hamas militants in the raids.

Shin Bet described how Hamas members under interrogation revealed the creation of a Hamas terrorist infrastructure in the West Bank, including the founding of a central command center in Nablus and the appointments of a command hierarchy, replete with a series of local chiefs in several villages.

Israel said funding for the Hamas cell came from Husam Badran, a Hamas member based in Qatar.

Another primary director, security sources told WND, is the Turkey-based Salah al-Arouri, whom Israel believes may have been behind the most recent spate of terrorist attacks here.

In December 2014, Shin Bet disclosed that in September of that year it had dismantled a Hamas terror ring of 30 West Bank gunmen who were being directed by al-Arouri.

Shin Bet said al-Arouri’s ring was preparing to carry out major terrorist attacks, including the bombing of Jerusalem’s main soccer stadium and the city’s light rail train line. The ring also sought to kidnap Israelis domestically and abroad, carry out roadside attacks, storm Jewish villages and plant car bombs in Israeli cities.

Hamas’ Turkish leadership, directed by al-Arouri, was said to have also been behind the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers in June 2014.

Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2015/07/mastermind-of-ramadan-offensive-in-holy-land/#syZGlQzkQx9m3vxw.99