Top Terror Leader in Tul Karem Arrested Last Night
15 Spetember 2009
Last night, in a joint operation between the IDF, the ISA, and a special police force, Mohammed Mastafa Mahmoud Harouish and Tisir Kamal Samara were arrested in Tul Karem.
Harouish was born in 1983, and is the head of the military branch of Hamas in Tul-Karem. Samara was born in 1984, and served as Harouish’s deputy.
Harouish has been wanted since 2004 for his involvement in Hamas terrorist activity. The terrorist cell he was affiliated with was responsible for the Passover bombing in 2002 in Netanya.
From as early as 2003, it is known that Harouish was actively involved in Hamas in the Samaria region.
In March 2004, Harouish was wounded by IDF fire and Hamas militants evacuated him for medical treatment to Ramallah. During this time he was involved in planning a thwarted suicide terror attack in Israel. Subsequently Harouish was arrested by the Palestinian security forces and transferred to the Palestinian Authority’s prison in Jericho.
After being released from prison in 2006, Harouish returned to Tul-Karem. He then became one of the commanders of Hamas’ military branch in the city, and chief assistant to Omar Gabber, the head of Hamas’ infrastructure. Harouish recruited militants, formed terror cells, and purchased weaponry. These cells were to commit terror attacks against IDF forces as well as of the Palestinian security forces.
This plan was thwarted as a result of many arrests within Hamas ranks, starting in May 2007 and culminating with the arrest Omar Gabber in March 2008.
After the arrest of Gabber, Harouish remained the top wanted terrorist in the area.
As stated, Harouish was arrested together with his deputy, Adnan Tisir Kamal Samara, a Hamas militant, who was released just a year ago from a prison sentence in Israel, where he was jailed for his involvement in the forming of Harouish’s terror cells.
The two were transferred for questioning by security forces.
