The Israeli security forces recently detained an Israeli Arab studying medicine in Germany, suspected of having been recruited by Hezbollah and of receiving large sums of money.

Khaled Kashkoush, Israeli Arab studying medicine in Germany.

Overview

1. On July 16, 2008, the Israel Security Agency and the police department’s international investigations unit detained an Israeli Arab at Ben-Gurion Airport . The detainee was Khaled Kashkoush, 29, from Qalansuwa (near Kfar Saba in the center of the country), who had spent the past few years studying medicine in Göttingen , Germany . During interrogation he admitted that while in Germany he had had contacts with Hezbollah agents and given them information in return for large sums of money. He is suspected of having been recruited by Hezbollah in Germany as a source of intelligence.

2. Since May 2000, when the IDF left Lebanon , Hezbollah has increased its efforts to recruit Israeli Arabs to establish operational and intelligence networks within Israel for planning attacks. The exposure of Khaled Kashkoush illustrates anew that Israeli Arabs are attractive targets for Hezbollah (and for other terrorist organizations as well, including global jihad groups ²) , because as civilians who enjoy freedom of movement within the country, they are able to collect both strategic and tactical intelligence information.

3. Hezbollah exploits the fact that the Israeli Arabs are abroad and easily contacted and recruited. Since Hezbollah has not yet been declared a terrorist organization by most European countries ³ it can operate freely within expatriate Lebanese-Muslim communities. It exploits civilian bodies either belonging to or affiliated with it, such as charitable societies.

4. For Khaled Kashkoush’s recruitment and handling as a source, see the Appendices. 

Appendix I

The recruitment and handling of Khaled Kashkoush as a Hezbollah intelligence source

1. In 2002, while in Germany studying medicine, Khaled Kashkoush made the acquaintance of Dr. Hisham Hassan , a Lebanese doctor living in Germany and head of the German branch of Hezbollah’s Orphaned Children Project Lebanon . The Orphaned Children Project Lebanon raises funds for the Lebanese Martyr Institute, which is part of Hezbollah’s civilian network in Lebanon and has been outlawed by Israel (See Appendix II).

Dr. Hisham Hassan

2. Khaled Kashkoush met with Dr. Hisham Hassan once every two weeks and also helped him with administering the Project. After three years Hassan suggested Kashkoush form a business relationship with a Lebanese called "Rami,” who he said could help him. In December 2005, after preparations had been made, Kashkoush met Rami (later identified himself "Mazen”) in Erfurt , Germany . At their first meeting they determined how they would contact one another, and Kashkoush was instructed to purchase a unidentifiable cell phone and use email to coordinate their meetings.

 
Muhammad Hashem, senior Hezbollah handler

3. In December 2006 the two met in Erfurt . Rami revealed that he was Lebanese and worked for Hezbollah. They met again in Frankfurt in April 2007 and January 2008.

4. The Hezbollah agent, who identified himself to Khaled as Rami and later as Mazen was Muhammad Hashem , a 50-year old Lebanese who is a senior Hezbollah recruiter and handler well known to Israeli security. In that capacity, he visits various countries where he meets with Hezbollah intelligence sources to receive and pay for information and to deliver instructions.

How Hezbollah handled Khaled Kashkoush

5. In meetings with his handler Khaled Kashkoush was given basic instructions in security procedures which would help him avoid exposure. He also received a total of 13,000 Euros.

6. As an intelligence source he was requested to do the following:

i) Provide information about Israeli nationals studying abroad, including their political affiliation, financial difficulties, abuse of drugs, etc. The information was to be used to locate possible recruits.

ii) Attempt to find work in a hospital in Israel to collect information about security personnel or soldiers being treated there.

7. At one of the meetings his handler gave him a map of Qalansuwa downloaded from Google Earth and asked him to locate public buildings and residences. 

Appendix II

The Orphaned Children Project Lebanon in Germany (Waisenkinderproject Libanon e. V Deutschland) and the Martyr Institute in Lebanon 

1. Dr. Hisham Hassan , who located Khaled Kashkoush as a possible recruit and who established his contact with the Hezbollah handler, is a Lebanese doctor living in Germany and head of the Orphaned Children Project Lebanon (Waisenkinderproject Libanon e. V Deutschland). The Project raises funds for the Martyr Institute in Lebanon , and according to its website ( www.wkplibanon.de ), all funds collected are transferred directly to the Martyr Institute’s bank account in Lebanon .

 
The Orphaned Children Project Lebanon building in Göttingen, Germany

2. The Martyr Institute in Lebanon belongs to Hezbollah and supports the families of Hezbollah terrorist operatives killed during terrorist actions. The organization works in the same way as the Iranian Shahid Foundation ( Bonyad Shahid ), established to support the families of casualties of the Iran-Iraq war. The Martyr Institute is part of the Hezbollah’s vast network of civilian institutions and charitable societies in Lebanon , ⁴ which deals mainly with welfare, financing, culture and communications, all with the objective of increasing Hezbollah’s political influence, especially among the Shi’ite population. Its goals are to disseminate Iranian-Khomeini ideology and to support its military-terrorist activities, and to that end the organization carries out intensive activities in Lebanon and globally, and uses a variety of methods to raise funds. The funds raised for the Martyr Institute and Hezbollah’s other civilian institutions go into its coffers and complement the vast amount of money Iran transfers to the organization. ⁵

3. The Martyr Institute was outlawed by Israel because of its connection with and support of Hezbollah. In 2007 the American Treasury Department declared the Iranian Shahid Foundation and its branches in Lebanon and the United States (where it is called the Goodwill Charitable Organization) illegal because of its support and funding of Hezbollah.

  
The ruins of the Martyr Institute after an attack by the
Israeli Air Force during the second Lebanon war. ⁶

¹ According to an Israel Security Agency report.

² For further information see our July 21, 2008 Bulletin entitled "The Israel security forces recently detained six Israeli and East Jerusalem Arabs, some of them students” .

³ Most European countries have outlawed only Hezbollah’s terrorist operative bodies , and its "civilian” institutions, including its "charitable societies,” can operate freely. Britain recently decided to extend the law and include its civilian organizations as well.

⁴ The establishment of a civilian network to support the organization’s activities is characteristic of other Islamic terrorist organizations, especially Hamas.

⁵ For further information see our May 26, 2008 Bulletin entitled "Funding terrorism: Hezbollah uses its websites to collect donations” .

⁶ http://www.wa3ad.org/index.php?show=news&action=article&id=3302