http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20050105-0550-israel-missingwoman.html
Previously unknown group claims to hold Israeli-American woman who
disappeared in 2003
By Ramit Plushnick-Masti
ASSOCIATED PRESS
5:50 a.m. January 5, 2005
JERUSALEM – A group calling itself "The Free People of the Galilee"
claimed Wednesday that it abducted an Israeli-American woman in 2003
and demanded that Israel release 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in
exchange for information about her fate.
The group, through a leaflet and a militant spokesman, said it
kidnapped U.S.-born Dana Bennet, who was 18 at the time of her
disappearance in the summer of 2003.
The leaflet, sent to The Associated Press, contained no proof that the
group was involved in the kidnapping or knew anything about Bennet's
whereabouts. The group is not previously known.
A top Arab militant said on condition of anonymity in a telephone call
that Bennet was abducted in 2003. He reiterated the demand made in the
leaflet that Israel release 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange
for information about her fate.
"We announce before all and before international-related institutions
that we have abducted the guard Dana Bennet in the Galilee area in
August 2003," the Arabic-language leaflet said.
"We demand the murderer (Prime Minister Ariel) Sharon apologize to our
people for all violations and crimes that were committed by the
occupation army."
It said information about Bennet would be released only when the
prisoners were freed.
A senior police investigator said on condition of anonymity that
Israel's various security branches were investigating the claims.
Police have not determined the authenticity or origins of the leaflet,
the investigator said, adding that the leaflet was the first
"indication" that Bennet was abducted by Arab militants.
In August 2003, Bennet finished her shift as a waitress in the town of
Tiberias, on the Sea of Galilee, and never made it home.
Wednesday's leaflet marked the first time a claim of responsibility
and ransom demands were made in connection with Bennet's disappearance.
Bennet's mother, Vicky, told Israeli media Wednesday she had received
no information about her daughter.
"It appears that there is really something to this report even though
there is no proof yet," Bennet told Army Radio. "I am full of hope
that, despite everything, Dana is being held somewhere, is alive, and
that I will get her ... back."
Islamic militant groups repeatedly have threatened to kidnap Israeli
soldiers or civilians.
Bennet's disappearance was reported several days after the body of a
missing soldier was found in the same area and on the same day another
soldier reported an attempt to kidnap him, raising the level of public
anxiety.
Police also are searching for Eliezer Zussia, a 19-year-old Jewish
seminary student, who disappeared shortly after Bennet did.
Three weeks ago, police renewed their investigation into the
disappearances of Israelis in northern Israel during the past decade,
including Bennet and Israeli soldier Guy Hever, who was last seen in
1997 near the Israel-Syria frontier.
At a meeting Tuesday with Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, who
delivered a message from Syria to Israel, Foreign Minister Silvan
Shalom outlined a list of conditions Israel has for renewing peace
talks with Damascus. One of the demands was that Syria help Israel
find out what happened to Hever.
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