Israel indicts refugee for 'infiltrating' Negev

Date: 05 / 07 / 2009 Time: 14:52

Abd Al-Rahman Talalkeh, 25

Bethlehem - Ma'an - A Palestinian from Gaza was indicted in an Israeli court on "terrorism" and "infiltration" charges Sunday, according to the country's Prime Minister's Office.

In a statement to Ma'an, Israel claimed that the Palestinian refugee, Abd Al-Rahman Talalkeh, was arrested in the Negev desert on 1 June after having left Gaza and entered Israel via the Sinai Peninsula.

He was indicted at a Beersheba court in the Negev, which was both the target of the alleged "infiltration" as well as the prior residence of 16,000 refugees who pre-Israel Zionist militants expelled to the An-Nuseirat camp in Gaza, where Talkalkeh was born in 1984.

Israel alleged that the young Palestinian said he received military training by the Popular Resistance Committees in Gaza, intended to establish "a terrorism infrastructure inside Israel," and was well-versed on the use of a variety of weapons.

The Popular Resistance Committees did not immediately respond to requests for comment.