Hamas Rocket Engineer Sentenced to 21 Years’ Jail

An Israeli court sentenced a Palestinian engineer on Tuesday to 21 years in prison for helping Gaza’s Hamas terrorist group develop and improve their weapons capabilities.

Dirar Abu Sisi, detained by Israel in 2011, was a director of the Gaza Strip’s sole power station. He said he was kidnapped during a visit to Ukraine in February and transferred secretly to Israel.

In a plea-bargain agreement that sealed a court case continuing over four years, Abu Sisi pleaded guilty to five counts, which included membership in a terrorist organization and building and modifying missiles used against Israel.

“The accused has been found guilty of offenses carried out over a number of years against state security that include five specific accusations carried out by him,” read part of the ruling by a three-judge panel at Be’er Sheva District Court.

Abu Sisi originally denied wrongdoing, and Hamas had said he was not a member of their organization, but in the amended indictment which led to the plea bargain and the conviction, he admitted the charges.

This article appeared in print on page 30 of the July 15th, 2015 edition of Hamodia.