Author:
Publication: Memri.org
Date:
URL: http://www.islam-online.net/arabic/politics/2002/05/article25.shtml
On July 23, the IDF dropped a bomb
on a Gaza apartment building, killing terrorist leader Salah Shehadeh,
commander of the 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas.
The following interview with Shehadeh
was published by Islam Online on May 29, 2002. (http://www.islam-online.net/arabic/politics/2002/05/article25.shtml)
Aish.com presents the interview as a curious look into a terrorist's mind,
and of course does not subscribe to these views.
* * *
How to Choose a Martyr
Q: How do you choose who will carry
out a martyrdom operation?
Shehadeh: The choice is made according
to four criteria: First, devout religious observance. Second, we verify
that the young man complies with his parents' wishes and is loved by his
family, and that his martyrdom will not [adversely] affect family life
-- that is, he is not the head of the family and he has siblings, as we
will not take an only child.
Third, his ability to carry out
the task assigned [to] him, and to understand its gravity; and fourth,
his martyrdom should encourage others to carry out martyrdom operations
and encourage Jihad in the hearts of people. We always prefer unmarried
[men]. It is the regional leadership of the military apparatus of the Hamas
movement that proposes his candidacy, and then decides whether to accept
him.
Seeking Martyrdom Shows Mental Health
Q: How do you account for the stream
of youths [coming] to join the ranks of perpetrators of martyrdom operations?
And does this attest to [mental] health, or to escape from the frustration
and disappointment among the Palestinians?
Shehadeh: The stream of youths [who
seek to] attain martyrdom shows [mental] health and the awareness of Palestinian
society, and is not a mistake or an escape from a situation of despair
or frustration. Many people come to Jihad, and they are willing to lay
down their souls -- which is the most precious thing a man has. There is
a vast difference between someone who sacrifices money or an offering,
and someone who sacrifices his soul for the sake of Allah to bring happiness
to the nation, and to remove its torment and distress.
Nevertheless, we cannot provide
everyone with a martyrdom operation because the targets are limited and
the enemy positions we want to reach are highly fortified. If some of the
youths do not follow the military apparatus's instructions, and [set out
on operations on their own] without being linked officially to this apparatus,
this proves that the [entire] nation has become a nation of Jihad on the
threshold of liberation, and that it rejects humiliation and submission.
How to Choose a Target
Q: How does the military apparatus
choose a target? Shehadeh: We have surveillance groups whose role is to
monitor Israeli and settler patrols and the movement of the enemy on the
border. We utilize every breach we find in the enemy's security fence.
Afterwards we define the target and the nature of the assault on it, whether
it is a settlement, a military post, a military vehicle, or anything else.
The target is filmed, and then [the video] is shown to a committee appointed
by the General Staff of the Military Operations.
After the target is approved, the
martyrdom operation's perpetrator is trained... Then the operation is ready
to go, after a group of experts approves the plan and determines the factors
for its success or failure.
If We Kill an Israeli Child it is
Not Intentional
Q: What about killing Israeli citizens?
Shehadeh: We do not target children,
the elderly, and places of worship, although these places of worship incite
to murdering Muslims. Similarly, we have not targeted schools, because
we do not give orders to kill children. The same goes for hospitals, although
this is easy for us, and attainable.
We act according to the principles
of Jihad to which we adhere. Our motto is: "We are not fighting the Jews
because they are Jews, but because they occupy our land. We are not fighting
them because of their religion but because they have usurped our land."
If we kill a child it is not intentional...
Costs and Prices of Martyrdom Acts
Q: How much does a martyrdom operation
cost?
Shehadeh: The cost of an operation
varies... Attack operations with automatic weapons cost the price of the
weapon, which hold at least 250 rounds, and of the ammunition, and the
price of about 10 hand grenades. But some of the operations cost much more
and include transporting [the perpetrator]... buying a car, and bribing
Jewish collaborators. There are operations that cost a great deal -- between
$3,500-$50,000, in accordance with the target.
Hamas Rockets
Q: How did you develop the weapons
that the 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades have come to excel at manufacturing,
such as the Al-Qassam 1 and Al-Qassam 2 and the and the Al-Bana [rockets]?
Shehadeh: ...We have scientists
who specialize in weapons development, who are today studying and conducting
experiments on the Al-Bana rocket, which is a combination of an RPG and
a LAW [light anti-tank weapon], and differs from the Al-Qassam 2 because
it is designed for moderately thick armor. Hand grenades are manufactured
to meet the needs of the apparatus and its members, and they have proved
their efficiency, and [even] the Zionist Defense Ministry attests that
they are powerful grenades. All the grenades and rockets are locally manufactured,
easily and simply. The explosives in the Al-Qassam 1 and 2 and the Al Bana
are made from simple raw materials. [Even] the women can make them at home...
The Political Wing Prevails Over
the Military Wing
Q: What about the organizational
structure of the 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades?
Shehadeh: In general, the brigades
are a small army subject to political decisions, like any [other] army
in the world. It has all the kinds of divisions and structures that an
army has. We are soldiers. The political apparatus does not tell us, 'Do
such and such' and 'Carry out this or that operation'; the political apparatus
is sovereign over the military apparatus, and a decision of the political
[echelon] takes precedence over the decision of the military [echelon],
without intervening in military operations. The success of an operation
is not defined by the number of enemy dead, but by the extent to which
our Jihad fighters managed to reach the target, and by the operation's
execution. Good planning is vital for the operation's success. The number
of dead depends on the will of Allah.
Obstacles Facing Hamas' Scarcity
of Weapons and PLO's Political Confusion
Q: What are the obstacles that the
Al-Qassam Brigades face?
Sh'hadeh: The most significant obstacles
are the scarcity of good-quality weapons, such as anti-aircraft and long-range
missiles.
Another significant obstacle is
the haze obscuring the political position of the National [Palestinian]
Authority. This causes confusion in the military wing [because] it does
not set a [clear] position regarding the military operations -- that is,
whether it is for them or against them. Is it an authority for national
liberation, or an authority for autonomy? This matter confuses many Jihad
fighters.
In addition, weapons prices have
been raised by the bloodsucker arms dealers, so the price of an M-16 has
reached $5,000, and each of its bullets now costs $1.50, and a Kalashnikov
costs $2,000, and each of its bullets costs $4.00.
The military apparatus has managed
to meet the challenge of weapons scarcities by collecting donations from
people who love supporting the path of Jihad for the sake of Allah. Similarly,
the movement has succeeded in manufacturing some of the intermediate weaponry,
thus reducing costs. The cost of a rocket [made by the movement] is less
than 1 percent of its cost if we had to buy it.