Gaza aid worker found guilty of financing Hamas

AN ISRAELI court found a Palestinian World Vision employee guilty on terrorism charges yesterday, six years after his arrest in a case criticised by the United Nations and human rights groups for lacking evidence.

Prosecutors alleged Mohammed elhalabi abused his role as the international Christian charity’s Gaza director to funnel millions of dollars over years to the Islamic militant group Hamas.

Mr Halabi and his employer maintain his innocence. Maher Hanna, Mr Halabi’s lawyer, called the judgment “really shocking” and said it had “nothing to do with the evidence presented in court”.

Mr Hanna said his client refused plea bargain offers that would have set him free, because of his innocence.

Shin Bet, Israel’s security agency, has alleged Hamas recruited Mr Halabi in 2004 and tasked him with infiltrating World Vision to funnel funds into arms purchases and the construction of tunnels into Israeli territory.

After his arrest, Mr Halabi was interrogated by Shin Bet agents for 50 days without a lawyer. In this period, he has said, he was tortured, deprived of sleep and hung from a ceiling.

Aid organisations said the case has had a chilling effect on their activities in the besieged enclave.