Australian accused of spying for Hamas
AN Australian man has been arrested in Israel on charges of spying for Hamas.
AN Australian man has been arrested in Israel on charges of spying for Hamas.
Saudi Arabian-born Ia’ad Rashid Abu Arja was taken into custody by Israeli police and the Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security agency, and indicted for using his background in technology to steal information from Israeli companies.
He is charged with entering Israel to test security procedures and pave the way for future missions to infiltrate Israeli high-tech developers.
Arja allegedly was assigned by Hamas to gain the trust of major technology companies in Israel, photograph them and their employees, and supply maps of offices.
The Palestinian, who grew up in the Gulf and later migrated to Australia, lived in NSW in 2007. He was based in Saudi Arabia at the time of his arrest, at Ben Gurion Airport last month.
Arja, 46, who holds Australian, Saudi Arabian and Jordanian passports, claimed he was visiting Israel on a Mediterranean holiday with his wife. He appeared in Petach Tikvah District Court on April 17.
The Shin Bet says Arja contacted a Hamas official in 2007 who asked him to contribute to “the Palestinian struggle”.
The indictment states that while in Australia, Arja contacted a Hamas activist, Abu Nazmi, who probed his technological skills and that he was later also questioned by Hamas about his life and activities in Australia.
Israeli officials claim Arja travelled to Syria in 2008, where he met other Hamas members and underwent weapons training. Court documents state he was picked up in Damascus and driven blindfolded to a property where he was trained to fire rifles and pistols.
Arja was allegedly later asked to help Hamas on computer problems and tracking devices, including phone scrambling and wide-angle photography.
He is also said to have visited Saudi Arabia last year, where plans were made for him to enter Israel to test how difficult it would be to gain entry on his passports. Shin Bet says he was planning to report back to a Saudi handler after departing Israel.
Since his arrest, which has been confirmed by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Arja has been visited by Australian embassy officials in Tel Aviv.
Hamas is a proscribed group in Australia, and the Hamas Brigades, affiliated with the organisation’s military wing, is among 19 terrorist groups banned in this country.
Arja is due to appear in court again in June.
AJN STAFF
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