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Could Hamas Target the West?

2007; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 30; Issue: 11 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/10576100701611270

1521-0731

Matthew Levitt,

Middle East and Rwanda Conflicts

Abstract A violent Islamist organization, Hamas, is also a nationalist movement that holds “resistance” to Israel as its highest goal. Unlike global terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda, Hamas has traditionally confined its violent activities to the local arena comprising Israel, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank. While citizens of Western countries have been killed in Hamas' indiscriminate suicide bombings, Hamas has not taken its violent campaign abroad targeting Israeli diplomats or Western allies. Indeed, several layers of disincentives mitigate against Hamas targeting Israeli interests abroad or targeting Western interests. But under what conditions might Hamas be prepared to target Western interests? The answer to this question requires a level of analysis approach that considers Hamas as an organization, as a conglomerate of semi-independent cells, and as a wellspring for rogue cells and independent actors, with these last two entities posing the greatest future threat. Contrary to conventional wisdom, there is precedent for Hamas considering the attacks on Israeli interests abroad and on Western interests themselves. In final analysis, the author believes Hamas unlikely to attack Western interests in the short term. But the following analysis reveals that under certain conditions Hamas' attack calculus could change in the future. This article was drawn from a chapter by the same name in Levitt, Matthew. (2006) Hamas: Politics, Charity, and Terrorism in the Service of Jihad. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. Reproduced with permission. Notes Notes 1. Rantissi threat from Al-Jazeera TV, “Hamas Leader al-Rantisi Declares “Battle is Open,” Al Jazeera TV, 22 March 22 2004, translated text available in BBC Monitoring Middle East— Political; For travel advisory see U.S. Department of State, “Travel Warning: Israel, the West Bank and Gaza,” 23 March 2004; Regarding Rantissi's funeral see Molly Moore and John Ward Anderson, “Hamas Chief Mourned by Thousands in Gaza,” Washington Post, 19 April 2004, available at (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21798–2004Apr18.html); For Mishal reaction see Albert Aji, “Damascus-Based Hamas Leader Blames America for Rantisi's Killing,” Associated Press, 18 April 2004. 2. For 2001 Hamas statement see Gregory Katz, “Hamas Defies Arafat, Pledges More Attacks: Americans Added As Targets As Group Plans To Avenge More Deaths,” Dallas Morning News, 18 December 2001; For 2002 chat room discussion see Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson's Unit, “The Hamas Website Provides a Platform for Surfers Who Support the Murder of American Citizens,” Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson's Unit, 26 June 2002, available at (www.idf.il/english/announcements/2002/june/forum_hamas.stm). 3. Mishal quote from Khaled Abu Toameh, “Rantisi: Hamas won't Hit US,” Jerusalem Post, 25 March 2004; Rantissi and Zahar quotes from Lara Sukhtian, “Hamas Leaders say Militants are not Targeting United States,” Associated Press, 25 March 2004. 4. For Rantissi threat see Associated Press, “New Hamas Chief: Bush is ‘Enemy of God,’” 28 March 2004; Rantissi's retreat statement from Agence France Presse, “Despite Rantissi Pledge Not to Target Americans, US Still Sees Hamas as Threat,” 25 March 2004; For comments on space shuttle Columbia and Iraq see Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), “Press Release Communicated By Israeli Security Sources,” 18 April 2004, available at (http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism+Obstacle+to+Peace/Terror+Groups/Abdel+Aziz+Rantisi.htm); Regarding Hamas radio station see Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at the Center for Special Studies (C.S.S.) Special Information Bulletin, “Incitement on local radio stations: Sawt al-Aqsa, a Hamas radio station operating from the Gaza Strip, broadcasted a sermon calling upon the terrorist organizations to unite in order to resume the violent confrontation with Israel (the intifada), and lashing out against the US and the UK. The Palestinian Authority condemned the incitement and threatened to take measures against it,” 17 July 2005, available at (http://www.intelligence.org.il/eng/sib/7_05/al_quds_b.htm); For pamphlets see C.S.S. Special Information Bulletin, “Hamas identifies with and supports Chechen and international Islamic terrorism on CDs found in the Palestinian Authority-administered territories. The CDs are distributed by Hamas to Palestinian youth in various educational institutions,” September 2004, available at (http://www.intelligence.org.il/eng/sib/9_04/chechnya.htm); Protest slogans from Israel Ministry of Defense, “PA Allows Pro-Iraq Rallies,” 13 January 2003. 5. For Rantissi statement see Albert Aji, “Damascus-based Hamas Leader Blames America for Rantisi's Killing,” Associated Press, 18 April 2004; For Marzook statement see Toameh, “Hamas Urges Israel's Beduins Not to Serve in IDF,” Jerusalem Post, 16 December 2004; For Qassam Brigades statement see Toameh, “Hamas Split Over Exporting Terror Campaign,” Jerusalem Post, 26 September 2004. 6. For Nazzal statement see Agence France Presse, “Hamas Official Denies Decision to Strike Israel Abroad,” 26 September 2004; Regarding Hamas/PIJ joint manifest see Ha’aretz, “Hamas and Islamic Jihad: We Will Continue Suicide Bombings,” 17 December 2001; Regarding Time Magazine see Johanna McGeary, “Radicals on the Rise: Militant Islamic Group Hamas Enjoys a Boost in Popularity As It Goes about Its Business of Slaughtering Israelis,” Time, 17 December 2001; On 17 August 2002, Israeli authorities broke up the Hamas cell responsible for this and other bombings. Under interrogation, Mohammad Odeh (who placed the bomb at the university and then detonated it remotely) indicated that his intent was not to target Americans but to avoid injuring Arabs—a strange assertion given the university's large Israeli Arab population. See Serge Schmemann, “Hamas Members Held in Recent Bombings,” New York Times, 22 August 22 2002; Regarding U.S. officials’ calculations see author interviews with U.S. officials, Washington, D.C., 1 August 2002. 7. Regarding FBI conclusions see Eli Lake, “Hamas Agents Lurking in US, FBI Warns. Fears Rantisi's Vow to Attack May Awaken Operatives Here,” New York Sun, 29 April 2004; For Hamas statement see Agence France Presse, “Hamas Threatens ‘Strike’ Against US Interests,” 11 February 1997. 8. Regarding Akal's emigration to Canada see “[Corrected] Hamas-trained Terrorist, Canadian National, Arrested by ISA,” Independent Media Review Analysis (IMRA), 8 December 2003, available at (http://imra.org.il/story.php3?id = 19094). See also Stewart Bell, “Envoy Faces Censure for Hamas Revelation,” National Post, 6 December 2003. 9. Bell, “Envoy Faces Censure for Hamas Revelation.” 10. Regarding Akal's training and tasking by Wahabe see IMRA, “[Corrected] Hamas-trained Terrorist, Canadian National, Arrested by ISA”; Regarding Israeli authorities see Bell, “Arrest ‘Prevented Terror Attack’: Rebutting Ottawa's Skepticism, Israel Alleges Akkal was Bound for New York to Kill Jews,” National Post (Canada), 9 December 2003; Israeli Embassy in Ottawa's statement from Jeff Sallot, “Canadian is Hamas Assassin, Israel Says,” Globe and Mail, 5 December 2003. 11. IMRA, “[Corrected] Hamas-Trained Terrorist, Canadian National, Arrested by ISA.” In August 2007, Akal was released from prison. See “Canadian Freed from Israeli Jail Heads Home,” CTV. ca, 30 August 2007, available at (http://www/ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/print/ctvnews/20070829/gaza_prisoner_070830/). 12. For series of events at Mike's Place on 30 April 2003 see The Queen v. Parveen Akther Sharif et al, (Central Criminal Court), United Kingdom, Amended Opening Note, 15 April 2004; According to a report commissioned by the Danish Ministry of Justice, authorities have documented other cases where European converts to Islam went to Damascus to study—as Hanif and Sharif did—but “were inserted into regular strongholds of Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood.” See Michael Taarnby, “Recruitment of Islamist Terrorists in Europe: Trends and Perspectives,” Danish Ministry of Justice, 14 January 2005, available at (http://www.jm.dk/image.asp?page=image&objno=73027); Government lawyers stated to the court in the course of their prosecution of several of the bombers’ family members who knew of the pending attacks but did nothing to stop them in The Queen v. Parveen Akther Sharif et al; For the bombers’ living will see Ian MacKinnon, “British Suicide Bombers Boast About Killings,” The Times, 9 March 2004. 13. U.S. Senate Banking Committee, Testimony of Richard A. Clarke, 22 October 2003, available at (http://www.senate.gov/∼banking/_files?clarke.pdf). 14. Federal Bureau of Investigation, “Terrorism in the United States: 30 Years of Terrorism, a Special Retropsective Edition,” FBI Publication No. 0308, Counterterrorism Threat Assessment and Warning Unit, Counterterrorism Division, 1999. 15. U.S. Senate Banking Committee, Testimony of Richard A. Clarke, 22 October 2003, available at (http://www.senate.gov/∼banking/_files/clarke.pdf). For the FBI report see Federal Bureau of Investigation, “Terrorism in the United States: 30 Years of Terrorism, A Special Retrospective Edition,” FBI Publication #0308, Counterterrorism Threat Assessment and Warning Unit, Counterterrorism Division, 1999. 16. Central Intelligence Agency, Worldwide Threat—Converging Dangers in a Post–9/11 World: Testimony of Director of Central Intelligence George J. Tenet before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, 6 February 2002, available at (www.cia.gov/cia/public_affairs/speeches/dci_speech_02062002.html). For internal FBI review see Lake, “Hamas Agents Luring in U.S., FBI Warns.” 17. Untitled CIA document; Author's personal files. Referenced in Glenn Simpson, “Officials Had Information Many Years Before 9/11 Attacks, Report Indicates,” Wall Street Journal, 9 May 2003. 18. Untitled CIA document, author's personal files; the document is referenced in Glenn Simpson, “Officials Had Information Many Years Before 9/11 Attacks, Report Indicates,” Wall Street Journal, 9 May 2003. Interestingly, in 2002 the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Office of Rasu-L-Ulama, donated $50,000 to a Hamas charity in the West Bank. See C.S.S. Special Information Bulletin, The Union of Good: an umbrella organization comprised of more than 50 Islamic charitable funds and foundations worldwide. It in fact channels “charity” money and provides other items for Hamas-affiliated institutions in the Palestinian Authority-administered territories, contributing to sustaining the support-system infrastructure of Palestinian terrorism through the so-called financial jihad, February 2005, available at (http://www.intelligence.org.il/eng/sib/2_05/funds.htm). 19. See U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Public Affairs, “Treasury Designates Director, Branches of Charity Bankrolling Al Qaida Network,” 3 August 2006, available at (http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/hp45.htm). 20. For the CIA report see Untitled CIA document, author's personal files; the document is referenced in Simpson, “Officials Had Information Many Years Before 9/11 Attacks, Report Indicates”; For subsequent investigations see U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, States Subcommittee on International Trade and Finance, Testimony of Matthew A. Levitt, 1 August 2002, available at (http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/media/levitt/levitt080102.htm); U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Public Affairs, Written Testimony of David Aufhauser, Testimony before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, United States Senate, 25 September 2003, available at (http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/js760.htm). For U.S. officials’ warning see Brian Murphy and Mike Casey, “Saudi Charity in Tsunami Region Raises Concerns About Spreading Islamic Extremism,” Associated Press, 6 February 2005; Regarding the CIA's documentation see MFA, “The Financial Sources of the Hamas Terror Organization,” 30 July 2003, available at (http://www.israel-mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH0nmu0). For Khalifa and his U.S. fundraising tour see Rohan Gunaratna, Inside Al Qaeda: Global Network of Terror (New York: Columbia University Press, 2002), p. 114; Regarding Khalifa and relations with IIRO employees in the Philippines see Gunaratna, Inside Al Qaeda, p. 145. 21. For Hamas delegation's participation in 1995 Islamic People's Congress see Jessica Stern, Terror in the Name of God: Why Religious Militants Kill (New York: Harper Collins, 2003), p. 253; Regarding the leader of a jihadist organization in Pakistan see Stern, Terror in the Name of God, p. 211. 22. For Romanian intelligence Radu Tudor, “Terrorism in Romania (II)—The Terrorist Organizations Muslim Brothers and Hamas Have Dozens of Members in This Country,” Bucharest Ziua, 12 February 2002; For Romanian security official quote see author interview with Romanian security official, Washington, D.C., July 2004. 23. US v Marzook et al. (US District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division), Special August 2003 Grand Jury, Second Superseding Indictment unsealed August 2004; Regarding Dahman see Associated Press, “Spaniard Suspected of Designing Kassam,” 25 May 2005. 24. FBI conclusions culled from U.S. Senate, “Current and Projected National Security Threats to the United States,” Hearing Before the Select Committee on Intelligence of the United States Senate, 6 February 2002 (see response number 3 to “Questions for the Record” on p. 339 of GPO print edition). 25. FBI conclusions culled from U.S. Senate, “Current and Projected National Security Threats to the United States,” Hearing Before the Select Committee on Intelligence of the United States Senate, 6 February 2002 (see response number 3 to “Questions for the Record” on p. 339 of GPO print edition); For FBI summary transcript of the Philadelphia meeting see “Tape 16—Conference Room, Date 10/2/93,” marked p. 1459 of evidentiary material presented in Stanley Boim et al. v. Quranic Literacy Institute, et al, (Civil No. 00 C 2905, United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division). 26. US v Marzook et al. (US District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division), Special August 2003 Grand Jury, Second Superseding Indictment unsealed August 2004. 27. John Mintz, “Palestinian-born Man Deported to Jordan: Technician Accused of Immigration Fraud: Lawyer Fears Torture in Amman,” Washington Post, 30 January 2001; See also Human Rights Watch, “Chapter VII: Conditions of Detention,” Presumption of Guilt: Human Rights Abuses of Post–September 11 Detainees, 14(4) (August 2002). 28. U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Public Affairs, “Shutting Down the Terrorist Financial Network,” 4 December 2001, available at (http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/po841.htm?IMAGE.X=23/&IMAGE.Y=13). 29. Joyce and Stanley Boim v Quarnic Literacy Institute and the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (US Court of Appeals, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division), available at (http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=7th&navby=case&no=011969&exact=1). 30. U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Public Affairs, “US Designates Five Charities Funding Hamas and Six Senior Hamas Leaders as Terrorist Entities,” 22 August 2003, available at (http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/js672.htm). 31. Eric Lichtblau, “5 Tied to Islamic Charity Held; US Said Group Funded Hamas,” New York Times, 28 July 2004. 32. Ted Bridis, “Senior Hamas Leader, 2 Others Indicted on Racketeering Charges,” Associated Press, 20 August 2004. 33. Associated Press, “Mosque Founder Accused of Aiding Hamas Ordered to Leave U.S.,” 8 February 2005; H. G. Reza, “Man Tied to Charity Stays in Jail; Buena Park Resident was a Fundraiser for Holy Land Foundation, the Focus of an FBI Probe,” Los Angeles Times, 3 December 2004.; John M. Broder, “Judge Orders Islamic Fund-Raiser Deported,” New York Times, 9 February 2005. 34. U.S. Treasury Press Release, “Treasury Freezes Assets of Organization Tied to Hamas,” 19 February 2006, Report No. js-4058, available at (http://www.ustreas.gov/press/releases/js4058.htm). 35. For public statements by an Israeli official see IMRA, “[Corrected] Hamas-Trained Terrorist, Canadian National, Arrested by ISA.” For Akal's family links to Hamas see author interview with Israeli official, Tel Aviv, 13 May 2004. For remarks by an Israeli senior intelligence official see author interview with senior Israeli intelligence official, Tel Aviv, 16 May 2004. 36. Officials’ conclusions regarding “local initiative” from author interview with group of Israeli analysts, Herzliya, 17 November 2004; For Akal plot and its association to Deif see author interview with Israeli analysts, Tel Aviv, 13 May 2004; For officials’ conclusions regarding unilateral contingency see author interview with group of Israeli analysts, Tel Aviv, 16 November 2004. In the case of the attack on Mike's Place, the bar attacked by two Muslim Britons, Israeli intelligence experts concluded the suicide bombing was a cooperative “outside-inside” operation, planned and facilitated by operatives outside the West Bank but acting on the “local initiative” and logistical support of operatives in the Gaza Strip where the suicide bombers spent some time prior to their attack; Author interview with group of Israeli analysts, Herzliya, 17 November 2004. 37. U.S. Department of State, “Travel Warning, United States Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Washington, D.C.,” 26 November 2004, available at (http://travel.state.gov/travel/Israel_warning.html). 38. U.S. Department of State, “Travel Warning, United States Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Washington, D.C.,” 26 November 2004, available at (http://travel.state.gov/travel/Israel_warning.html); For senior Palestinian security official see James Bennet, “Isolated and Angry, Gaza Battles Itself, Too,” New York Times, 16 July 2004. 39. For Siyam, see “Subject: Presidential Decree/Sheikh Mouhamed Siam,” Report No. 10/4344-A/95, 31 May 1995, marked pages 0625--0629 of evidentiary material brought in Stanley Boim et al. v. Quranic Literary Institute et al., Civil No. 00C2905 (U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division). 40. For Rantissi, see P. David Hornik, “The Other Elections,” American Spectator, 1 February 2005, available at (http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=7709). 41. For Siyam see “Subject: Presidential Decree/Sheikh Mouhamad Siam,” Report No.: 10/4344-A/95, 31 May 1995, marked pp. 0625–0629 of evidentiary material brought in Stanley Boim et al. v. Quranic Literacy Institute, et al., Civil No. 00 C 2905, (United States District Court), Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division; For Rantissi's article see P. David Hornik, “The Other Elections,” American Spectator, 1 February 2005, available at (http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=7709); For Rantissi and the Iraq war see MFA, “Press Release Communicated by Israeli Security Sources.” 42. For the plan to seize the Japanese embassy see Samar Assad, “Court: Hamas Plotted to Seize Foreign Embassy in Israel,” Associated Press, 5 March 1998; For Dichter see Agence France Presse, “Israel Says it Foiled Plot to Strike Tourists in Egypt's Sinai,” 19 September 2004; For Antwerp see Agence France Presse, “Antwerp Muslim Leader Under Fire for Hinting at Hamas Attack,” 6 April 2004. 43. Author interview with senior Israeli security official, Washington, D.C., 18 February 2005. 44. For mourner, see Associated Press, “Palestinians Bury Leader in Syria,” 27 September 2004. For analysts' conclusion, see Author Interview with Israeli intelligence analysts, Tel Aviv, 16 November 2004. 45. For the mourner at Khalil's funeral see Associated Press, “Palestinians Bury Hamas Leader in Syria,” 27 September 2004; For analyst's conclusions see author interview with Israeli intelligence analysts, Tel Aviv, 16 November 2004. 46. Author interview with senior Israeli security official, Washington, D.C., 18 February 2005. 47. Author interview with Israeli intelligence analysts, Tel Aviv, 16 November 2004. 48. Author interview with senior Israeli security official, Washington, D.C., 18 February 2005. 49. For Rantissi claim see Lara Sukhtian, “Suicide Bomber Blows Himself up on Jerusalem Bus, at Least 20 Dead,” Associated Press, 19 August 2003; For Israeli police identification of bomber see James Bennet, “Bombing Kills 18 And Hurts Scores On Jerusalem Bus,” New York Times, 19 August 2003; For videotape of the bomber see Joel Greenberg, “Blasts Rock Iraq, Israel,” Chicago Tribune, 20 August 2003. 50. MFA, “Hamas Terrorist Network Based in Jenin Disabled,” 2 March 2005, available at (http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Terrorism+and+Islamic+Fundamentalism-/Hamas%20terrorist%20network%20based%20in%20Jenin%20disabled%202-Mar-2005). 51. For Juma comment see John Ward Anderson, “7 Arrested in Tel Aviv Bombing,” Washington Post, 27 February 2005; For Mishal's statement see Associated Press, “Hamas Leader: Some in Group Won't Sign No-Attack Pledge,” 3 February 2004. 52. U.S. Department of State, Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, “Patterns of Global Terrorism—2005: Middle East Overview,” 29 April 2004, available at (http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/pgtrpt/2003/31/638.htm). 53. For State Department description see U.S. Department of State, Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism “Patterns of Global Terrorism—2003: Middle East Overview,” 29 April 2004, available at (http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/pgtrpt/2003/31638.htm); U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian, Bureau of Public Affairs, “Significant Terrorist Incidents, 1961–2003: A Brief Chronology,” available at (http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/pubs/fs/5902.htm); For Haron statement see The Sydney Morning Herald, “Faction Listens to Arafat Only When He Says What It Wants to Hear,” 7 August 2004. For Israeli report see IMRA, “Hamas Doublespeak,” 27 September 2005. 54. M. E. Bowman, “Some-Time, Part-Time and One-Time Terrorism,” Intelligencer: Journal of U.S. Intelligence Studies (Winter/Spring 2003), pp. 13–18. 55. For the “Charter of Honour” see Agence France Presse, “Palestinian Planned to Murder As Many “Zionists” as Possible,” 25 February 1997; For events of the July 1997 arrest see Dan Barry, “Bombs in Brooklyn, the Overview: Police Break Up Suspected Bomb Plot in Brooklyn,” New York Times, 1 August 1997; For report and correction on Mezer and Khalil's ties to Hamas see Richard Pyle, “Source: Suspects in Foiled Attack on NYC Subways Linked to Hamas,” Associated Press, 1 August 1997; See also Pyle, “Suspects Tied to Group that Terror-Bombed Jerusalem,” Associated Press, 1 August 1997; For note denouncing U.S. support of Israel see Pyle, “Jury Convicts One Palestinian, Acquits Second in Subway Bomb Plot,” Associated Press, 23 July 1998. 56. For Elmerhebi's note see Gary Dimmock, “Firebombing at Jewish School Linked to Killing of Hamas Chief: Imported Mideast Hatred Hits Montreal School,” The Ottawa Citizen, 6 April 2004; For U.S. law enforcement officials see U.S. Department of Justice, Office of U.S. Attorney, “Chicago Man Arrested in Alleged Plot to Bomb Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago,” 5 August 2004. 57. U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Testimony of Robert S. Mueller, III, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 16 February 2005. 58. For the National Security Council memorandum see Richard A. Clarke, “Memorandum for Condoleezza Rice,” 25 January 2001, available at (http://www2.gwu.edu/∼nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB147/clarke%20memo.pdf). See Matthew Levitt, “Combating Terrorist Financing: Where the War on Terror Intersects the ‘Road Map’,” Jerusalem Issue Brief, 14 August 2003, available at (http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/templateC06.php?CID=481); For Israeli deportation see Amos Harel and Baruch Kra, “Israel Deports Palestinian-American Aid Worker for al-Qaeda Links,” Ha’aretz, 5 December 2002. 59. U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Testimony of Robert S. Mueller, III, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 16 February 2005. 60. Site Institute, “Affidavit in Support of Search Affidavit” (United States District Court, Eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria Division), 20 August 2004. 61. On the case of Nabil Awqil, see Matthew Levitt, Hamas: Politics, Charity and Terror in the Service of Jihad (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2006), p. 37. 62. Dr. Reuven Ehrlich and Col. (res) Shalom Harrari, “Ties and Links between Supporters of Bin Laden and Palestinians,” 19 November 2001; Israeli indictment of Awqil, author's personal files; See also Reuters, “Israel charges Palestinian with al Qaeda link,” 8 September 2005. 63. Author interview with Israeli analysts, Herzliya, Israel, 17 November 2004. 64. Author interview with Israeli analysts, Herzliya, Israel, 17 November 2004. 65. David Makovsky, “The Wrong Lesson from Gaza,” The Baltimore Sun, 26 August 2005. 66. Ahmad Rashad, “Martyr in a Wheelchair? The Life and Death of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin,” The Palestine Chronicle, 22 July 2004, available at (http://www.palestinechronicle.com/).