Seven Pakistanis Worked Illegally In Israel For Years

Illegal Pakistani immigrants queue up in the office of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) as officials are busy in preparing their documents after questioning them in Quetta, in southwestern Baluchistan province, 02 June 2003, following their deportation by the Iranian authorities. The accused were working as helpers and car washers in Tel Aviv,” the FIA tweeted. “The accused gained entry through an Israeli agent [human smuggler?] and paid him 3-4 lakhs [300,000-400,000 Pakistani rupees, or about $1,100-$1,470] per person. Two suspects are on the run and police are conducting a raid on their whereabouts. They were sending suspicious remittances to Pakistan for five years. PHOTO BY BANARAS KHAN/GETTY IMAGES

Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency” (FIA) has arrested five of the country’s citizens for entering Israel. Another two suspects are being sought, the agency said.

According to the FIA investigation, the suspects illegally migrated to Israel by traveling through countries such as Turkey, Kenya and Sri Lanka, and found employment. They sent money back to their families in Pakistan through Western Union. The arrested suspects, identified as Noman Siddiqui, Kamil Noor, Kamran Siddiqui, Mohammad Zeeshan and Mohammad Anwer, worked as helpers and car washers in Tel Aviv for four to seven years. One of the suspects is a woman named Satara Parveen.

While the arrested suspects belong to religious organizations, these organizations are not banned in Pakistan. They came into contact with an Israeli agent named Ishaq (Isaac) Mutat, who helped them throughout all their travel, and four of the suspects had Schengen visas, which are valid for entry to 27 European countries.

The investigation and suspect testimony revealed that they took several routes through Turkey, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Dubai and Switzerland, but all of the suspects entered Israel via Jordan with assistance from the Israeli agent Ishaq (Isacc).

After the return to Pakistan, the accused opened mobile phone and grocery stores in their hometown, Mirpur Khas in Sindh Province.

Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency” (FIA) has arrested five of the country’s citizens for entering Israel. Another two suspects are being sought, the agency said. PHOTO BY ARIF ALI/GETTY IMAGES 

A group of Pakistanis affiliated with religious organizations that are not banned in Pakistan (could be Hezbollah or Hamas) obtained Schengen visas, visited many European and Arab countries before entering Jordan, obtained fake documents and crossed the border through IDF checkpoints along with an Israeli agent (human smuggler), lived in Tel Aviv, worked for four or more years and left Israel without getting caught.

They could have committed heinous terrorist crimes against Israeli citizens. And while nothing happened, they have opened the door for terrorists to enter Israel from Jordan using forged documents.

Also worrying is the extensive intelligence they may have obtained over the five to seven years in areas such as security, geography, public facilities and infrastructure.

Other questions raised include: Why did they not stay and work in Europe, where they had valid visas; who were their contacts/friends in Israel; and where did they travel within Israel.

Israeli security services should carry out an exhaustive investigation to consider the extent to which this infiltration was an intel failure and to identify any weaknesses in the security services.

 

Produced in association with Jewish News Syndicate