June 24, 2004
Senior Islamic Jihad terrorist arrest

The arrest of a senior Islamic Jihad terrorist and explosive expert in Nablus:

In a joint activity of the IDF and security forces today, June 23, 2004, in Nablus, forces arrested Muhanad Mahmoud Mohammed Abu Aisha, a senior Islamic Jihad field commander for the Nablus area and an explosive expert.

Abu Aisha was born 1980 and resident of the Beit Dajan village. During the arrest operation one of his assistants, Shadi Haled Mahmoud Salim, born 1978, resident of Salfit, was shot and killed when he attempted to draw out a pistol and fire at the forces.

Abu Aisha was responsible for the production of explosive belts used by suicide bombers of the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization from Nablus.

Furthermore, Abu Aisha is one of the key figures within the Islamic Jihad involved in attempts to carry out suicide bombing attacks inside Israel over the last months, attacks thwarted by the security forces.

In addition, Abu Aisha was responsible in directing numerous shooting attacks in the area of Nablus, directing terrorist cells that carried out shooting attacks on roads near Tulkarm and the production of numerous explosive devices which were activated towards IDF soldiers in Nablus