Samer Farik Muhammad Allawi, born in 1966, from Sebastia, who resides in Pakistan and serves as Al Jazeera’s Afghanistan bureau chief, was arrested on August 9, 2011 at the Allenby Crossing, on suspicion of involvement in Hamas activities.

During his investigation by the ISA (Israel Security Agency – Shin Bet), Allawi admitted that was recruited in 1993, while in Pakistan, to Hamas.  Until 2004, he served there as a member of the “Supreme Palestine Committee”, which supervises and directs Hamas institutions. He also collected donations for Hamas-affiliated organizations such as “Al-Aqsa Association” and the “Palestinian Information and Media Center.”

In the framework of his activities for the SPC, Allawi went to Syria in 2001 and 2003 in order to report on his activities to Musa Abu Marzouk, deputy to Hamas Political Bureau Chairman Khaled Meshal.  In 2004, Meshal asked Allawi to work for him.  During his meetings in Syria, it was proposed that Allawi serve as Hamas’s representative in Iran but he declined.

Allawi also admitted that in 2000, during a meeting with a Hamas operative in Dubai, he agreed to carry out military or organizational activity for Hamas.  He even proposed, on his own initiative, to work to aid Hamas in advancing its goals by utilizing his position as a journalist with Al Jazeera.

In 2006, Allawi met with Hamas operatives in Qatar, who served as Al Jazeera correspondents, and agreed with them that they would exploit their work with Al Jazeera in order to strengthen Hamas by – inter alia – criticizing American operations in Afghanistan and expressing support for the Palestinian “resistance.”

In 2010, during an additional meeting with Hamas operatives in Qatar, Allawi was asked to work to strengthen public opinion in support of Hamas and the Palestinian struggle by – inter alia – criticizing American activities.

Allawi’s investigation shows that Al Jazeera is exploited by Hamas, which makes use its journalists in order to advance its goals.

Allawi’s involvement in military activity in Afghanistan from 1988-1992 also came up during his investigation.  In the framework of the mujahedeen, he participated (in 1988) in an initiated raid by rebel forces on Afghan government forces, and also took part in activity against Soviet forces.  In 1992, Allawi attended a military training course in Pakistan so that he might return to Afghanistan and serve as a military trainer.

Allawi was convicted on Monday (Sept. 26) after confessing in the framework of a plea bargain, of conspiracy on behalf of an illegal organization (Hamas).  He was fined, sentenced to time already served and received a suspended sentence of three years.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)