Hamas Prisoner Swap List Is Who’s Who of Terror, by Gil Ronen (Israel National News)
Full Text;
The list of 45 terrorists the Hamas is demanding be freed in return for Cpl. Gilad Shalit reads like a who’s who of terror, and includes men responsible for intentionally murdering scores of Israeli men, women, children and babies and wounding hundreds of others.
The most prominient name on the list is that of Hamas super terrorist Abdullah Barghouti, who is serving 67 life sentences for the murder of dozens of Israelis and for his part in numerous suicide bombings. He was implicated in the Sbarro horror of August 2001, the triple suicide attack in Ben Yehuda Street in December 2001, the Cafe’ Moment atrocity and the Hebrew University attack of June 2002.
Also on the list is Hassan Salameh, who is serving numerous life sentences for the murder of dozens of Israelis, the man behind a wave of suicide bombings in 1995 and 1996 that followed the assassination of terror engineer Yihya Ayash. Salameh headed the cell that carried out two suicide attacks on number 18 buses in Jerusalem and at a hitchhiking station in Ashkelon Junction in February 1996. These attacks alone took 46 Israeli lives.
The list also includes the leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine Ahmed Saadat, who ordered the 2001 assassination of cabinet minister Rehavam Ze’evi, and leading Fatah figure Marwan Barghouti, who was sentenced to five life sentences for his involvement in terror attacks against Israeli civilians.
Additional names include Fuad Shubaki, the Yasser Arafat aide who was responsible for financing the Karine A arms-smuggling ship which was intercepted by Israel; Sheikh Hassan Yousef, a member of the Palestinian Authority parliament; Sheikh Abd al-Halk al-Natsha, from Hamas’ political leadership; Rouhi Mashaha, one of the founders of Hamas terror network, who has been imprisoned for over 20 years; Nail Barghouti, responsible for bombings carried out in 2002, and Bassam A-Sa’adi, a top Islamic Jihad leader.
Background: “Flexible Thinking” to Permit Release of All Terrorists?, by Dr. Aaron Lerner (IMRA)
Terror Victims’ Families Urge Olmert Not to Free Security Prisoners