West Bank Hamas chief charged with setting up terror cells

Marcy Oster

JERUSALEM (JTA) — The head of Hamas in the West Bank was arrested for his involvement in setting up terror cells to attack Israelis.

Riad Natzer was indicted Thursday in an Israeli military court in the West Bank, accused of raising millions of dollars to set up and arm the cells, The Jerusalem Post reported.

Natzer was arrested May 27, nearly two weeks before the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teens by Palestinian gunmen allegedly operating on behalf of Hamas in Gaza. A gag order on the release was lifted with the publication of the indictment.

Natzer reportedly has been the head of Hamas in the West Bank since 2010.