JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel has filed an indictment against a Gaza Palestinian engineer that it secretly captured in Ukraine and brought back to Israel.
Dirar Abu Sisi, 42, was indicted Monday in Beersheba District Court on charges of activity in a terrorist organization, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder and production of weaponry offenses.
According to the indictment, beginning in 2002 Abu Sisi developed missiles to be launched by Hamas into Israel, including increasing their range and ability to pierce Israeli armored vehicles. The indictment said that Abu Sisi administered the Hamas military academy, which was established following Operation Cast Lead as part of Hamas’ lessons from the war.
Hamas denies any connection to Abu Sisi.
Sisi, a Gaza electric power plant engineer, has been held in an Israeli prison for more than a month after being arrested in Ukraine by Israeli agents. He reportedly was visiting Ukraine with his Ukraine-born wife and their six children in order to apply for Ukrainian citizenship.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last week that Sisi provided "important information," but did not specify what it was. He is believed to have information on captive soldier Gilad Shalit.
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