TEL AVIV — Israeli authorities investigating links between African
infiltrators and Islamic insurgency groups in Egypt have acknowledged the arrest of an Eritrean
national.

    On June 13, an Israeli court released information on the arrest of Kabari
Gabriosus, a 22-year-old migrant from Eritrea and resident of Tel Aviv.

“The material submitted by the police so far presents sufficient
evidence implicating the suspect in the acts attributed to him,” Judge Shira
Zamir said in her ruling.

Gabriosus has been accused of helping unidentified insurgency groups
with money-laundering and other criminal activities. Officials said
Gabriosus was relaying “large amounts” of money from other African migrants
in central Israel.

    Officials said the Israel Security Agency has been examining reports of
cooperation between African infiltrators and insurgency groups in Egypt’s
Sinai Peninsula. They said ISA was concerned that Al Qaida and the Hamas
regime in the Gaza Strip were recruiting African migrants to transfer funds
and orders to hostile elements in Israel and the West Bank.

“The Africans are being forced to work for the terrorists,” an official
said.

Officials said ISA has determined that Bedouin smugglers in Sinai linked
to Al Qaida were abducting and extorting African migrants headed to Israel.
They said migrants have been routinely held for ransoms of up to $25,000 and
killed if the money from relatives in Israel did not arrive.

“Bedouins have been using these ransoms to buy weapons,” the official
said.

In May 2012, an alleged Hamas liasion was arrested on charges of working
with Bedouin abductors. It was not clear whether Gabriosus, remanded into
custody until June 17, was helping the alleged Hamas agent.

“After reviewing the case file, including its confidential addendums, it
is clear to me that this extensive investigation is ongoing and that its
sensitive nature requires various measures for it to be completed.” the
judge said.