Appendix D

Transfer of funds by Interpal to the Hamas-affiliated Jenin Charity Committee

Overview
The Jenin Charity Committee1 was founded in 1984. Like other such organizations, its operation is authorized by the PA and it is officially subordinate to the PA’s Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs. However, it is affiliated with Hamas and is a central part of Hamas’ civilian infrastructure (da’wah) in the region. For that reason it was outlawed by Israel in 2002.

1. In Arabic, lajnat amwal al- zakat or lajnat alwal al-zakat – muhafazat Jenin.

The Committee was already in operation during the first violent Palestinian-Israeli confrontation (1987-1993). However, its activities have broadened significantly during the ongoing violent Palestinian-Israeli confrontation: the Committee supports needy families, those wounded and injured during the confrontation and orphan children. It provides educational, religious and health services and has even established a hospital in Jenin ( Al-Razi Hospital).
However, the Committee, which is affiliated with Hamas as noted, exceeds the boundaries of purely social activity and also participates in Hamas’ terrorism-supporting apparatus in the city of Jenin, which is known as “the suicide bomber capital.” The Committee is run by Hamas activists, some of them experienced terrorist-operatives. It provides aid for the families of shaheeds, the wounded and the imprisoned, among them families of terrorists who perpetrate suicide bombing attacks against Israel. Hamas documents were found in the Committee offices as well as handouts prepared by Izzedine al-Qassam, Hamas terrorist-operational wing. That activity, like the activities of other “charitable societies” and “charity committees,” encourages Palestinian terrorists to continue their violence against Israel because they know their families will receive generous support after their deaths.
The Society is headed by Zayd Mahmoud al-Rahim Salameh (Zakarneh), a Jenin resident. He is a Hamas activist who serves as the director of the Jenin branch of the PA Ministry of Muslim Endowments (Waqf). In the past he has said that the Ministry “has, in recent years, given monthly financial aid to the families of orphans, the needy, martyrs [sic] and prisoners.”2 As part of his job he is in contact with the funds and foundations which aid Hamas to raise money abroad and his name appears on Interpal documents found in the offices of the Committee (See below).

2. www.amin.org/news/ali/samudi/2003/n/ov/nov22.htm1
Another high-ranking person in the Committee (apparently second in command) is Ahmad Salim Ahmad Salatneh (Abu Osama), a Hamas terrorist-operative. Between 1993-1995 he was imprisoned in Israel for his activities in the Izzedine al-Qassam Battalions. He was also found guilty of recruiting activists, purchasing arms and training terrorist operatives in preparing explosive devices (his name also appears on a document connected to an Interpal project. See Appendix D (4)).
There are other Committee directors who are Hamas terrorist-operatives and who have combined their activities as terrorists with their work in the “charity committee.” They include:
  Jamal ‘Abd al-Salam Abu al-Hijaa’ , one of the heads of Hamas’ terrorist infrastructure in Jenin. He was in charge of groups responsible for sending terrorists into Israel to perpetrate suicide bombing attacks, among them the attack on a civilian bus in the Galilee near Mt. Meiron in August 2002, in which nine civilians were killed and 52 were injured. In addition he was a supervisor of centers for Qur'an memorization as part of his membership in the Jenin Charity Committee and he was responsible for supporting Hamas terrorists imprisoned in Israel.3

3. The above is a classic example of terrorist-operational activity combined with “educational”- social activity. The model exists in other Hamas-affiliated “charitable societies” or “charity committees” in the PA-administered territories.
  Nasser Khaled Ibrahim Jarrar, one of the commanders of Hamas’ terrorist-operational apparatus in Jenin . He was active in recruiting terrorist-operatives and in locating and dispatching suicide bombers, and planned a series of deadly attacks against Israeli targets. In addition, he was one of the founders of the Jenin Charity Committee and held a number of positions in it, among them responsibility for the orphans’ department. One of his duties was going abroad to raise funds. He served a prison sentence in Israel (1978-1988) and was rearrested a number of times (1989-1998). He died during an Israeli army operation (August 2002).
  Ibrahim Hassan ‘Ali Jaber , a senior terrorist-operative who was responsible for numerous deadly terrorist attacks on Israeli targets. During interrogation he admitted planning attacks, transporting explosive devices, giving military training and possessing weapons. From 1988 on he was a member of the Jenin Charity Committee, worked for its various institutions and was responsible for the orphans’ and indigent departments.
  Another Hamas activist who worked for the Jenin Charity Committee is Ahmad Sa’ad Sittiti, who serves as imam of the ‘Abdallah ‘Azzam mosque in the Jenin refugee camp. (Dr. ‘Abdallah ‘Azzam, a Palestinian from the village of Silat al-Harithiya (in the Jenin district), was, until his death, Al-Qaeda’s ideologue and Osama bin Laden’s “spiritual mentor.” He and his doctrine (stressing the importance of jihad) serve as a source of inspiration for Hamas.)
The Jenin Charity Committee is clearly operated by Hamas activists who are essentially terrorist-operatives. It is supported by designated Hamas-affiliated funds and foundations operating in Britain and other European countries, among them Interpal in Britain, Al-Aqsa Fund in Germany, CBSP in France, the Union of Good and others. Zakarneh was in contact with Dr. ‘Abd al-Rahim Nasrallah, an activist in the financial field who lives in Saudi Arabia, and who in the past transferred sums to him amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Below are Appendices illustrating the true nature of the Jenin Charity Committee as part of Hamas’ terrorism-supporting apparatus, and examples of its relations with Interpal.

Appendix D (1)

Support of an orphan, son a Hamas terrorist-operative

An illustration of the Jenin Charity Committee as part of Hamas’ terrorism-supporting apparatus: a form found in their offices ( October 19, 2003) relating to a orphan under their care. His name is Qaher Muhammad Mahmoud ‘Assaff and he is the son of a shaheed named Muhammad Mahmoud Said ‘Assaff, a Hamas terrorist-operative who was killed in 1996 when his house in Qabatia (a town near Jenin) collapsed (apparently the result of a “work-related” explosion). The Jenin Charity Committee requested aid for his care from the Association for Needy Orphans in Kafar Qassem, affiliated with the Islamic Movement in Israel, as clearly shown on the form with which it has contacts. On the document the reason for the father’s death is listed as “died because of the explosion of a foreign object…”

Appendix D (2)

Aid for an orphan, son of a known terrorist

An illustration of the Jenin Charity Committee as part of Hamas’ terrorism-supporting apparatus: a request found in their offices (October 19, 2003) relating to a orphan under their care, asking the Association for Needy Orphans in Kafar Qassem (see above) for aid. According to the form the father (‘Ali ‘Uqab ‘Ali Haj Muhammad) died as a result of istishhad [martyrdom for the sake of Allah, usually describing the death of a suicide bomber]. The father was known as a Fatah activist belonging to the group calling itself “The Black Panthers.” He was involved in shooting attacks against Israeli forces and attacking Arabs suspected of collaborating with Israel. He was killed on January 14, 1993, during an attempted arrest by Israeli security forces.

Appendix D (3)

A receipt for a check for 1,200 Jordanian dinars [about $1,700 ] from the Jenin Charity Committee via the Qalqilya Training Society signed by the father of a shaheed

Translation

Check


Cairo Amman Bank

The Qalqiliya Society for the Physically Handicapped

 

 

 

ID# 989175864

 

 

 

Account No. 0150036619000

 

 

 

Qalqilya Branch 808

 

Pay to/for order: [left empty]

Sum: XX1,200XX one thousand two hundred dinars only

 

 

 

Date: April 10, 2001

 

Signature: Jamal Farmaz/Farmar?

 

Cheque No.100000002

Branch No. 66/80847

Account No. 0143661900

[Note: Between the date and signature are two partially illegible Arabic and English stamps]

Receipt for funds received
In the name of Allah the all-merciful
[Emblem of the Palestinian Authority]


Reference:[left empty]

 

The Palestinian National Authority

 

 

Ministry of Endowments and

Palestinian Religious Affairs

 

Date: [left empty]

 

Charity Fund Administration

 

Beginning [Gregorian date: left empty]

 

Charity Funds Committee – Jenin District

I the undersigned, ‘Ursan Hafiz Amin al-Kaylani, holder of ID card No. 957818135, father of the shaheed Zakriyyah,4 hereby certify that I received 1,200 (one thousand two hundred) Jordanian dinars from the Islamic Charitable Society in Support of the Palestinian People [more commonly known as Al-Mounasara whose base is Quwait and whose main office is located in Jordan, and which has branches in other countries],5 [money] sent to the Society for[Professional] Training – Qalqilya, and from there to the Jenin Committee for Charity Funds.6

Signed [handwritten signature]

‘Ursan Hafiz Amin al-Kaylani

Director of the Zakat [Charity] Office [or branch]

The Palestinian National Authority

Charity Fund Directorate

Committee for Charity Funds – Jenin district

[Signature]

Ministry of Religious Endowments and Affairs

4. The document was found in the Committee’s offices on October 19, 2003. The shaheed in question is Zakriyyah Hafiz Amin al-Kaylani, a Hamas activist, student and member of the Islamic Block (the Hamas student organization), who was killed during a demonstration on September 30, 2000. His brother, Zayd, was arrested by Israeli security forces while attempting to perpetrate a suicide bombing attack in the northern Israeli Arab city, Umm el-Fahm. SeePart 4.
5. See Part 4.
6. The above is a classic example of the way contributions get passed from one Hamas “charitable society” or “charity committee” to another on the way to their final destination, the family of a shaheed. The Committee for [Professional] Training is formally not supposed to deal with the support of shaheed families, but in reality it does (as do other Hamas institutions which operate as its terrorism-supporting apparatus, with no relation to their formally designated functions).

Appendix D (3)

Original Document


Appendix D (4)

Welfare project undertaken by the Jenin Charity Committee under Interpal supervision

The first page of a document7 containing a list of Jenin Charity Committee projects. The list is headed by a project called The Emergency Welfare Effort, supervised by the Palestinian Fund for Relief and Development [Interpal] and executed by the Jenin Charity Committee. Its cost was L12,000, and it was prepared by the director of the Charity Office Ahmad Salatneh, a high-ranking official in the Jenin Charity Committee and known as a Hamas terrorist-operative who was jailed in Israel for his activity in the Izzedine al-Qassam Battalions.
7. The document was found in the offices of the Jenin Charity Committee on October 19, 2003.

Appendix D (5)

Transfer of funds by Interpal to the Jenin Charity Committee ( November 21, 2000) which are also used to pay the families of wounded terrorists

Translation

[Handwritten addition: First line unclear. Apparently a reminder, since the word “only” is legible and is used only when writing an amount of money in words on a check.]

Committee Chairman

Zayd Mahmoud [‘Abd al-Rahim Salameh, head of the Society, Hamas activist]

[Signature]

[Interpal emblem]

 

PO Box 3333

The Palestine Relief and Development Fund

Interpal

London , NW6 1RW

 

 

Tel: 0181 450 8002

 

 

Fax: 0181 450 8004

 

 

Email:info@interpal.org

 

 

Website: www.interpal.org

No. BTR/00/118

transfer of funds/receipt advice form

date: 29/01/00

important note

this form must be completed and returned to interpal immediately after receiving

the amount stated below

Name of Beneficiary: JeninZakat Committee [sic] – Jenin

tfr date : 21/11/00

Please be advised that the following amount has been transferred to your account. Details as follows:

Bank Name: Cairo Amman Bank, Jenin Branch, viaCairo Amman Bank, Jordan

Account No: 015002364000

Amount: $15,000

Special Comments: The funds are allotted as follows:

$5,500 for the families of the wounded from the benefactors [i.e., donors] in the United States .8 You have already received telephone confirmation.

 $10,000 for the emergency welfare project (food packages) . You have already received telephone confirmation from the Committee for Coordinating Charity Activity in Europe

Please prepare a documented report accompanied by Xerox copies and receipts from the following:

8. Another clear example of the transfer by Interpal of contributions from international Islamic charitable societies, including in the United States, to Hamas institutions in the PA-administered territories. Interpal is careful not to state anywhere in the document what the source of the funds in the United States was.
1. Interpal
2. Committee for Coordinating Charity Activity in Europe
3. The benefactors in the United States

declaration

We confirm receipt of the above-mentioned payment by Interpal. We undertake to use the said amount only as specified. We also undertake to provide Interpal with a detailed report supported by Xerox copies, written documentation and any other documentation concerning the project/programme.

Name and signature

Ahmad Salatneh [a director of the Society and known as a Hamas terrorist-operative ]

 

[Stamp]

 

Palestinian National Authority

Charity Fund Directorate [?]

Charity Funds and Contributions Committee – Jenin District

Ministry of Religious Endowments and Affairs

 

Registered Charity No. 1040094

 

Date: [handwritten] 2.12.2000

[Handwritten addition:] 70.8 X 10,000 = 10,974 [Jordanian] dinars

410 X 10,000 = 63,550 Israeli shekels

Appendix D (5)

Original Document


Appendix D (6)

WAMY funds a project for the Jenin Charity Committee through Interpal, Ramadan 20009

9. Document found in the offices of the Jenin Charity Committee, October 19, 2003.

Translation

[Interpal emblem]

 

PO Box 3333

 

The Palestine Relief and Development Fund

Interpal

London , NW6 1RW

 

July 7, 2000

 

Tel: 0181 450 8002

 

 

Fax: 0181 450 8004

Notice of allotment of funds for a project for [the holy Muslim month of] Ramadan, 2000

 

[Handwritten addition:]

 

No objections to using the funds: four thousand six hundred and thirty-eight [Jordanian] dinars only

[Signed]

 

Committee chairman,

Zayd Mahmoud [Salameh, Hamas terrorist-operative, head of the Committee.

May peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah and his blessings,

Greetings,

To the matter at hand,

We hope you are well and would like to inform you that the sum of $6,532 for feeding the fasters [during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan] / food packages provided by (a donator [parentheses in original]) on behalf of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth, Jeddah [ Saudi Arabia].

Please send confirmation of the receipt of the funds as soon as they arrive.

Yours sincerely

The Palestinian Fund

[Signature]

Important note:
1. The money is to be used solely for the purpose for which it has been allotted. It is not to be used for any other project with out authorization in writing from the Fund.
2. Documented Xerox copies of reports must be prepared separately and sent with all documents and authorizations. The name of the donating body/bodies must be noted in accordance with the enclosed form [Note: The last two words are underlined twice in the original and underneath the handwritten notation “Already sent”], and everything is to be sent to the Palestinian Relief and Development Fund at the address that appears on the letterhead.

Registered Charity No. 1040094
[Handwritten addition:]
6532 X 71
6532 X 410 [signature?] 4638/-
62781 Israeli shekels
[Stamp]
[Illegible word, perhaps “store” or “agency”]
Abu Murar for Currency Exchange
Jeni


Appendix D (6)

Original Document


Appendix D (7)

Note of thanks from the chairman of the Jenin Charity Committee to Interpal upon the receipt of L12,000 from various Hamas-supporting “charitable societies” in South Africa, Switzerland and Belgium 10

10. Found in the Jenin Charity Committee’s offices on October 19, 2003.

Translation

In the name of Allah the all-merciful
[Emblem of the Palestinian Authority]


Reference: 3/91

 

The Palestinian National Authority

 

 

Ministry of Endowments and

Palestinian Religious Affairs

Date: 20.3.2003

 

Charity Fund Directorate

Beginning 27 of Muharram 1424 [Islamic calendar]

 

Charity Committee – Jenin District

To the honorable brothers at the Relief and Development Fund – Interpal, may Allah preserve you

May peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah and his blessings

The Jenin district Charity Committee sends you its blessings and wishes you advancement and much success in your good work. We pray to Allah, may he be exalted, that your deeds be acceptable to him, may he be exalted, and satisfy him and stand you in good stead on Judgment Day.
Honorable brothers,

We received a letter from you [in which you inform us that you are] allotting us the sum of L12,000 for our urgent project, from the following foundations:
1. Al-Aqsa Charitable Fund, South Africa : L4,000.11

11. Al-Aqsa Fund was established in South Africa in the early nineteen nineties and serves as a designated Hamas-affiliated fund in that country. Relevant documents indicate that its chief beneficiary is Hamas institutions in the PA-administered territories. Because of its link to Hamas it was designated by American Executive Order 13224. It belongs to the Union of Good and serves as its representative in South Africa.
2. The Society for the Welfare of Palestine, Switzerland : L4,000.12

12. Suspected of being a Hamas-affiliated organization.
3. Al-Aqsa Fund, Belgium : L4,000.13

13. A Hamas-affiliated organization with branches in Germany, Holland, Belgium and Denmar

The funds are to be apportioned as follows:
50% for damages to buildings
30% for the food package project
20% for medical expenses and drugs.
Honorable brothers,

We of the Charity Committee hold your blessed donation in high regard. Therefore, we promise you that we will carry out the project in the best way possible, and will send you a detailed report about its implementation – after it has been completed, by the will of Allah.

We pray to Allah, may his name be exalted, to bless your efforts and make you forever a support for the needy.

Signed

Chairman of the Jenin District Charity Committee
Sheikh Zayd Muhammad ‘Abd al-Rahim Zakarneh
[a well-know Hamas activist]
[Stamp of the Palestinian National Authority
Charity Fund Directorate]
[Signature]
Financial Charity Committee – Jenin District
Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs


E-Mail: ZAKATJ@maktoob.com

 

Telefax: 04-2503068

Jenin Charity Committee


Appendix D (7)

Original Document

 
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