'Hamas legislator Abu Tir arrested north of J'lem'

Palestinians say constituency representative in Palestinian Legislative Council nabbed by IDF at his home in Kfar Aqab.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
abu tir 298.88 (photo credit: Orly Halpern)
abu tir 298.88
(photo credit: Orly Halpern)
Muhammad Abu Tir, a Hamas member who represents an east Jerusalem constituency in the Palestinian Legislative Council, was arrested by the IDF early Tuesday, Palestinian officials said.
He was arrested at his home in Kfar Aqab, just north of Jerusalem, according to Army Radio.
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Abu Tir was last arrested shortly after IDF soldier Gilad Schalit was kidnapped in 2006 when Israel arrested 64 Hamas officials in the West Bank. He was held in jail for four years, after which he was released and stripped of Israeli citizenship.
Abu Tir was first arrested in 1974 and sentenced to 16 years in prison for security offenses. He was released 13 years later.
In 1989, he was arrested for a second time, this time for possession of weapons. He was sentenced to 13 months in prison.
Between 1990 and 2005 he spent eight years in prison for membership in Izzadin Kassam (the armed wing of Hamas) and trading in weapons.