2 Druse charged with contacting Syrian intelligence

Fars Shaar and Said Abu Zid of Majdal Shams transferred secret letters, money from Syrian agent to Israeli prisons.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
majdal shams 298.88 (photo credit: GPO)
majdal shams 298.88
(photo credit: GPO)
Fars Shaar and Said Abu Zid, residents of the Druse village Majdal Shams in the Golan, were charged on Tuesday with passing information to Syrian intelligence sources.
The two were in contact with Madhat Salakh, a Syrian agent that is responsible for the Golan. Salakh is originally from Majdal Shams and was previously imprisoned in Israel for security crimes. In 1998, he moved to Syria. Salakh and Shaar met in prison.
Shaar, 40, said during the investigation that Salakh had offered him money to kidnap an IDF soldier, but claimed that he refused.
In the last three years, Shaar has allegedly transferred Syrian money to prisoners from the Golan Heights that committed security-related crimes.
Abu Zid, 57, served as a contact between Shaar and Salakh; he often visited Syria with groups of sheikhs from the Golan. On one of his visits, he received a secret letter from Salakh to Shaar.
In August, Fada Sha'ar, 27 and his father, 58-year-old Majad Sha'ar, both residents of Majdal Shams, were indicted on charges of espionage, aggravated espionage, contacting a foreign agent, passing information to the enemy, conspiracy to kidnap, entry to a closed military zone, and contacting a foreign agent with the intention of harming state security.