Israeli intelligence sources confirm that Hamas was searching for young Israeli Arab Muslim fundamentalists for recruitment and support operations and for help in attacks in the Jewish state.

On May 19, a 27-year-old Arab man, Islam Meryi, was sentenced to six years for working for Hamas.

An Israeli court in Haifa affirmed that Islam Meryi recruited Arabs to Hamas and agreed to help in operations.

Prosecutors said Meryi was recruited by Hamas during his studies at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. The defendant confessed that Hamas ordered him to collect intelligence as well as help smuggle fighters and weapons into Israel.

Few details of Meryi’s alleged activities for Hamas were released.

The prosecution struck a plea bargain with Meryi, who cooperated in the investigation.

This marked the second sentencing of an Israeli Arab on conviction of working for Hamas in one week. Earlier, Khaled Akbaria, 60, was sentenced to five years on charges of providing intelligence to Hamas.

Akbaria, who had served a six-year sentence for his links to Hamas, was convicted of contacting the Islamic insurgency movement and offering what was deemed strategic information. No further details were reported.

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