Terrorist Posing as "Doctor Without Borders" nabbed in Jerusalem

May 24 , 2007

Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center
at the Israel Intelligence Heritage & Commemoration Center (IICC)

Israel's security forces detained Mus'ab Bashir, a resident of Deir al-Balah. In his interrogation, Bashir admitted that he recently entered Israel to gather intelligence on Israeli senior figures to assassinate them. Working with PFLP operatives in the Gaza Strip, he used a Doctors Without Borders permit to enter Israel 1

Mus'ab Muhammad Nimr Bashir

Overview

On April 19, 2007 , Mus'ab Muhammad Nimr Bashir , born in 1982, a resident of the Gaza Strip town of Deir al-Balah, was detained in Jerusalem . About five years ago, he started working for the international aid group Doctors Without Borders. As part of his humanitarian activity, he received a permit allowing him to enter Israel and stay in Jerusalem .

2. In his interrogation, Mus'ab Bashir admitted that several months ago, he decided to carry out an attack on a senior Israeli figure as revenge for the deaths of Palestinian civilians. Using the entry permit he was granted by Doctors Without Borders, he entered Israel and started gathering intelligence on senior Israeli politicians with the purpose of assassinating them. He collaborated with senior operatives of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) in the Gaza Strip, who provided him with specific training for the assassination.

Mus'ab Bashir's preparations for the assassination

3. In his interrogation, Mus'ab Bashir related that he searched the Internet for information on Israeli parliament (Knesset) members whom he considered potential targets for a terrorist attack. Then, however, he discovered that they did not live in the Jerusalem region, where he was allowed to stay with his entry permit. He therefore reconsidered and decided to assassinate Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

4. For that purpose, in September 2006 Mus'ab Bashir met with three PFLP operatives in the Gaza Strip and shared his plan with them. During that meeting, it was decided that Bashir would go to Jerusalem using the Doctors Without Borders entry permit in order to gather intelligence on Israeli PM Ehud Olmert's residence and his daily routine.

5. Upon his arrival in Jerusalem , Bashir observed the Prime Minister's residence. Once he understood that the tight security would make Ehud Olmert's assassination impossible, Bashir returned to the Gaza Strip, met with the PFLP operatives once again, and informed them of his findings. It was then decided that Bashir would receive small arms training in preparation for carrying out the assassination. In November 2006, he was trained by a PFLP operative.

6. Approximately one month later, it was decided to assassinate an Israeli archaeologist working on a dig in the Jerusalem region. For that purpose, Bashir started training in hand-to-hand combat in order to kill the archaeologist without using arms. In January, February, and March 2007, Bashir entered Israel once again with his Doctors Without Borders permit and gathered intelligence on the intended target's daily routine. He entered Jerusalem once again on April 18 and was arrested on the following day.

7. In his interrogation, Mus'ab Bashir admitted that he was planning to return to the Gaza Strip in order to complete his hand-to-hand combat training. As part of that training, he was supposed to learn how to break a man's neck. After completing the training, he planned to go back to Israel in order to kill the archaeologist working on the dig.

¹ According to a report by the Israel Security Agency.