Hamas: Sisi kidnapping is a violation of int'l law

First time I've heard of this one.

Hamas on Thursday condemned the imprisonment and capture of Palestinian engineer Dirar Abu Sisi, calling it a violation of international law.

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zohi said that " Netanyahu's statements are an attempt to hide the crime of kidnapping in the Ukraine and his illegal transfer to a Zionist prison."

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Abu Sisi went missing on a train traveling from Kharkov to Kiev on February 19 and later was revealed to be at the Shikma prison in Ashkelon. Foreign reports said that the engineer, who worked at Gaza's central power plant, had information relating to captive soldier Gilad Schalit.

Also on Thursday, Noam Schalit called on jailed Palestinian engineer Dirar Abu Sisi's family to press Hamas to release his son, captive soldier Gilad Schalit.

http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=214598

there was a warrant for Sisi's arrest and while the Ukraine apparently has an extradition agreement with Israel, at least when the Ukraine arrested an Israeli MD for organ trafficking did this also come under that 'agreement' and while Israel's Southern command claims it will file an 'indictment' within 5 days the affair is under a 'gag order' so will that claimed indictment be made public?

all on all this seems an example perhaps of Israel imparting the message that no Palestinian is safe anywhere in the world

There are these two quotes from the story:

"Southern district prosecutors announced that they would file an indictment containing serious charges against Abu Sisi within five days. The prosecution added that it will seek an extension of his remand through the end of the proceedings against him."

So they don't want to let him go, but they can't say why yet. So I don't see a legal extradition being like that. And nobody is denying he was snatched.

And:

"In an interview with Israel Radio, Barak said that Abu Sisi has useful information about Hamas even if it does not concern Schalit, which justifies the arrest."

One is tempted to think that is closer to the truth, it was a mistake, or had some other purpose, but why go all the way to Ukraine for "bargaining chips", or intelligence about Schalit? Was this fellow thought to be special? If so why?

Perhaps it reflects some new initiative to get Schalit freed, maybe Bibi needs a win, or it looks bad, or a sincere desire to see him get out?

I was wondering if this would impact the attempt to get Russia to oppose recognition of a Palestinian state, too. It's the sort of thing that can cause non-cooperation.

Dirar Abu Sisi was Hamas's leading missile developer according to an indictment filed Monday at the Beersheba District Court. Abu Sisi was reportedly abducted by Israel over a month ago as he was traveling on a train in Ukraine and brought to Israel for interrogation.

According to the indictment, Abu Sisi received his doctorate in engineering in Ukraine in the 1990s and studied with some of the leading Ukrainian military engineers. After returning to the Gaza Strip, he was recruited into Hamas by the military commander of the terrorist organization at the time, Salah Shehada, and began working as one of their leading engineers for short- and long-range missiles.

Abu Sisi not only developed missiles in Gaza but was also responsible for upgrading thousands of older rockets and increasing their range and penetration capabilities. According to the indictment that was filed Monday in the Beersheba District Court, Abu Sisi was charged with membership in a terrorist organization, conspiracy to commit a crime, and the production of illegal weaponry, assistance to an illegal organization and other various crimes.

http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=215100

:popcorn:

What's so interesting?

Why did you post it?

I thought you and anyone who read your OP might want to see what was going on with the case.

I don't see what makes it "popcorn worthy" though.

Usually that is reserved for particularly touchy subjects.

I think it means interesting, or entertaining, or both. Certainly a good flame war can be entertaining, once in a while, but it's not ever interesting.

Answers some of the questions I asked there, or so it seems to me.

In Hamas that usually means "bomb maker" or "rocket maker."

Do they even have any engineers concentrating on building things instead of killing civilians?

I guess it'd spoken in the Ukraine also were according to post #3 Sisi got his Doctorate in Engineering which according to you really means bomb making

Dirar Abu Seesi or: Abu Sisi (Arabic: ضرار أبو سيسي; born in 1969 in Jordan)<1> is the Deputy Engineer for the Gaza Strip's sole electrical plant, which provides 25% of Gaza's power,<2><3> and, according to Israel, also a Hamas weapons engineer. In February 2011, he traveled to Ukraine, his wife's native country, to apply for citizenship, after coming to believe that Gaza was no longer a safe place to raise his six children. He disappeared in Poltava on February 19, and later turned up in an Israeli prison.<4> On April 4th, he was indicted for his alleged aid to Hamas.

This page was last modified on 23 April 2011 at 03:10.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirar_Abu_Seesi

I'm thinking "Because the Israelis were hot on his trail for making rockets, he thought he could escape to the Ukraine and live there safely."

Guess not.

Dirar Abu Sisi, who according to foreign reports was abducted in February in the Ukraine, tells Israeli interrogators he was tasked with extending the rockets' range.

Details emerged Thursday about the investigation of engineer Dirar Abu Sisi, who according to foreign reports was abducted by Israeli forces in the Ukraine last February. The information was made public after a Be'er Sheva court lifted a comprehensive gag order on Abu Sisi's interrogation.

Sisi told investigators he helped Hamas boost its rocket capabilities, including launch and range capabilities. He said he used "mathematical equations, which improve the ability of the iron rods to withstand pressure and heat."

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/palestinian-engineer-admits-helping-hamas-develop-rockets-to-be-fired-at-israel-1.378205

If you are interested:

Abusisi to Shabak: I Left Gaza Because Hamas Threatened Me and My Children

http://www.richardsilverstein.com/

I remain agnostic on the facts of the case, it is clearly a big-deal political football at this point, has been at least since the kidnapping, and both Hamas and GOI (in fact ALL the political actors) will lie for the smallest expediency's sake.

Silverstein makes some cogent points, but he sounds agnostic as to the facts too. My primary problems with the story as it is now are those he points out: the certainty of deception, the use of "harsh questioning", the technical inconsistencies.

It would be interesting to get the subject to a situation where he felt secure again, and see what he had to say then.