BACKGROUND INFORMATION 13 October 2004

Attributed to "security sources" [Provided by the IDF Spokesperson's Office]

Head of Hamas in Hebron arrested

Imad Qawasma turned himself in after IDF troops surrounded the home where he
was staying

In a joint operation of the GSS and the IDF, Imad Tsalah A-Fatah Qawasma,
31, head of the Hamas in Hebron, was arrested this morning in Hebron.
Qawasma was arrested during an operation based on intelligence information
from the GSS regarding his presence in one of the houses belonging to his
family. During the activity one of Qawasma's houses was demolished.

Qawasma turned himself in to the forces at approximately 10:00 a.m. after an
IDF force started to demolish his house

Qawasma was held imprisoned between 1994-1999, due to his membership in a
Hamas cell and involvement in manufacturing explosive devices activated
against Israeli vehicles.

Shortly after his release from prison in 1999, Qawasma returned to terror
activity in the Hamas. After September 2000 his role in the Hamas terror
organization increased significantly.

In November 2002, Qawasma, along with another Hamas terrorist, enlisted
Frass Abu Shidam, a Hamas terrorist from Hebron, and dispatched him to
Nablus in order to receive an explosive belt in Nov. 2002. Abu Shidam was
caught with the explosive belt on the way from Nablus to Hebron.

Qawasma worked closely with Basal Qawasma, Az Aladin Misk, Ahmad Badar and
Abdallah Qawasma, leading Hamas leaders in Hebron who were responsible for
terror attacks carried out in Jerusalem and in the Hebron area during 2003.

In 2003 Qawasma became the head of the Hamas in Hebron.

He was responsible for the dispatching and directing numerous suicides and
shooting attacks in the areas of Jerusalem, Beer-Sheva and Hebron:

* On August 31 2004 Ahmad Qawasma and Nissim Gaavry, directed by Imad
Qawasma, carried out a double suicide bombing attack in Beer-Sheva which
resulted in the death of 16 Israelis.

* In June 2004 Qawasma enlisted Alaa Kafisha, a Hamas terrorist from
Hebron, to assist Malec Nazar Aladin, a Hamas terrorist from Hebron, to
carry out a suicide attack in Jerusalem. After they failed to carry out the
suicide attack at the "Kafit" cafe in the center of Jerusalem, Nazar Aladin
was killed and the other cell members, residents of Hebron and Jerusalem,
were arrested.

* Qawasma directed a Hamas cell in Hebron responsible for a series of
shooting attacks carried out since January 2004. One of the attacks resulted
in the injury of an IDF soldier. Most of the cell members were arrested in
July 2004 possessing a large amount of ammunition and weapons.

After the suicide attack in Beer Sheva dozens of Hamas terrorists were
arrested and investigated. The results of the investigations showed that
Imad Qawasma was the director of a wide network of terrorists and assistants
guided by Qawasma to plan and carry out suicide and shooting attacks. Some
of the terrorists were recently arrested and are now being questioned.