Oct. 16, 2003 PA official arrested for smuggling weapons comissioned by PA By JPOST.COM STAFF
Akhram Tubassi
On Thursday, the Shin Bet released for publication its arrest of a PA security official suspected of smuggling ammunition from Egypt to Gaza Strip, allegedly for such high ranking officials as former PA security minister Muhammad Dahlan.
The man, Akhram Tubassi, a member of the Palestinian Coast Guard, was detained by the Shin Bet on October 7th. He confessed to purchasing weapons in Egypt, commissioned by senior officials of the PA security system. The connection to Dahlan is still under investigation.
To smuggle the weapons, Tubassi used tunnels (those same smuggling tunnels the IDF has been trying to eliminate in its recent Operation Root Canal) and three "errand boys", who went back and forth carrying, among others, guns, missiles and thousands of bullets.
According to the allegations, the weapons were delivered to senior security official Nabil Tamus. Tubassi testified Tamus asked him to wait while he checks with Dahlan before "placing an order" for missiles. Tubassi was arrested before Tamus returned with an answer.
Tubassi also testified to his involvement in smuggling six missiles in January 2001, commissioned by Fuad Shubaki, the man who financed the attempted smuggling of the Karine A arms vessel into the Gaza Strip. He was further involved in the preparation of anti-tank missiles.
