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| Security forces nab âterror fundsâ in Ramallah banks |
| 2004-02-26 |
| Tip oâ the hat to da Shark. EFL. The United States said Wednesday that Israelâs seizure of some NIS 37 million in cash in Palestinian banks could destabilize the Palestinian banking system, and reiterated its call for Israel to coordinate such moves with the sectorâs Palestinian authorities. Theyâre supposed to coordinate seizing the money? Security forces on Wednesday raided four banks in the West Bank city of Ramallah, seizing the money which Israel said was mostly sent by Iran, Syria and Hezbollah to fund Palestinian militants. "Some of these actions that were taken risk destabilizing the Palestinian banking system, so weâd prefer to see Israeli coordination with the Palestinian financial authorities in order to stem the flow of funds to terrorist groups," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher told reporters in Washington. "Listen, Mahmoud, you guys have to clean up your banking system so that terrorists canât ... [slap] [slap] Mahmoud, youâre not listening. Moshe, explain to Mahmoud that he has to listen." An aide to Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat on Wednesday called the operation "a provocation" that was "asking for Palestinian retaliation." "We shall have Dire Revenge!â¢" The joint operation by police, the Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet security service marked the largest-scale effort since the start of the intifada to stop the flow of funds to militant groups, officials said. Palestinian medics said 42 people were injured, five critically, when stone-throwers confronted the biggest raid for months into Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafatâs headquarters city of Ramallah. Palestinians rained stones on Israeli jeeps. Flames leaped from one of the vehicles as it was struck by a Molotov cocktail. Israeli troops rejected the accusation of Palestinian medics that they fired back some live rounds. I confess Iâd shoot back if someone was lobbing Molotov cocktails at me. According to Palestinian sources, security forces presented some of the bank clerks with warrants issued by the GOC Central Command, and asked to inspect the bankâs computers for transactions carried out by individuals suspected of financing terror attacks. "Mahmoud, quick, arrange for the blue screen of death!" "No way, Achmed, those Zionists have ways of making that too real!" The troops checked several hundred bank accounts - including those at branches of the Arab Bank and the Cairo Amman Bank - some belonging to Hamas and Islamic Jihad, Israeli security sources said. The troops were accompanied by computer experts of two of the banks, who had been arrested overnight, Palestinian security officials said. "Câmon, Abdullah, give us the password for your Quicken account!" A security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said soldiers were also looking for evidence of possible involvement by Arafat in funding terror attacks. Well, that shouldnât be hard to find. The forces took millions in cash from the bank vaults, corresponding to the amount of money they found in the targeted accounts, Israeli security sources said. Much of the funding came from Hezbollah, Iran and Syria, the sources said. Israeli security sources said the seized money would be used to fund Palestinian humanitarian projects. Tell the Paleos youâre using the money to build the barrier. The offices of an Islamic charity in the West Bank city of Tul Karm were also raided on Wednesday. Computers and documents were taken from there too. Iâll bet thereâs more than financial transactions on those computers. What a haul. "Itâs like the mafia, itâs like a kind of mafia war," Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia told Channel 10 television news. And the Israelis are Elliott Ness. "This is destructive to the Palestinian economy and people are really worried," Erekat said. He said he fears Palestinians will lose confidence in their banking system and their would be a run on the banks Thursday. Iâm sure the Paleos have as much confidence in their banking system as they do in their "government". Palestinian Finance Minister Salam Fayad said the raids broke a banking agreement between the Palestinians, Israel and the United States. "Such measures will for sure hurt, to a large extent, the Palestinian economy and its institutions," Fayad said. Not that anyone will be able to tell. A security source said Israel was not trying to harm the banks, and those whose money was confiscated can appeal to the army. "Sure boys, you can have your money back, just step forward and sign some forms. Got any legit ID?" "Um, yeah, I got this Pakistani pass ... oh, never mind. Keep the money." "The banking system is the easiest and safest way to transfer money," the source said. "We have to deter them [militants] from using the banking system and get them to use other less safe methods." |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #5 I saw it on the News and was cheering the whole time! âAchmed my ATM card doesnât seem to workâ âLet me try mine Muhammedâ¦INSUFFICIENT FUNDS!â âHow will we buy the latest bomb coat from the Snears and Blowback store, they wonât give us credit?â âThis must be the work of the JOOOSSSS!â Yes, yes it was! Priceless just priceless. Make it better by distributing the money amongst the families of those killed by homicide bombers! That would send them to the moon! |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter) 2004-2-26 11:05:51 AM |
| #4 posted last evening by the |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-2-26 9:37:49 AM |
| #3 Could a C-130 make a round trip from Tel-Aviv to Zurich? |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-2-26 9:18:07 AM |
| #2 Agreed! Hilarious! |
| Posted by: phil_b 2004-2-26 8:58:23 AM |
| #1 *** C o f f e e - - - A l e r t *** Lol! This may be the funniest true post ever! "The forces took millions in cash from the bank vaults, corresponding to the amount of money they found in the targeted accounts, Israeli security sources said. Much of the funding came from Hezbollah, Iran and Syria, the sources said." Just this much, and no more. Only the money of those involved in terror. Woot! Woot! See, EeeeWwww? Your donations, meant for good deeds (right?) are safe and sound! So the schools and hospitals and good deeds depts should keep right on running... right? I'll bet there are turbans spinning and Royals swooning and Dictatorial heartburn all across the M.E. and vast numbers of shorts all in a bunch... And Paleos, go ahead, mob the banks on Thursday. It's your money, right? LOL! And you just know the Israelis realized they couldn't give the US fair warning, else some State Dept pfool or Fibbie traitor translator would alert the poor (now poorer) Paleo Terror Ministry... Priceless! Thx, Dr Steve! |
| Posted by: .com 2004-2-26 3:42:25 AM |