Hamas militant receives 12 years

JERUSALEM (JPS) — Hamas terrorist mastermind Mahmoud Abu Hanoud, who escaped from a recent botched Israeli Defense Force attempt to capture him that left three soldiers dead, was sentenced to 12 years in prison by a Palestinian Authority military tribunal in Nablus last Friday night. During the hourlong court hearing, there was no mention of the terror attacks and suicide bombings he planned in Israel, which led to the deaths of 21 Israelis. Military prosecutor Khaled Kidreh accused Abu Hanoud of establishing a military organization, supplying it with weapons and disturbing public order. Abu Hanoud smiled when the sentencing was announced, calling it light. The speedy procedure was to prevent the terrorist from being extradited to Israel. Abu Hanoud evaded Israeli army troops who failed to capture him during an Aug. 26 raid in Atzira Shamali in which three IDF soldiers from the elite Duvdevan unit were killed by "friendly fire." Following the ruling, about 200 Palestinian students protested outside A-Najah University in Nablus, demanding Abu Hanoud's release and that the Palestinian Authority support him instead of keeping him in custody. Settlers and terror victims organizations lashed out at the sentencing, calling it a mockery of justice.