Testimonies

'Othman 'Othman,

tractor operator

Around 3:30 this morning [1 May], I was awakened by noise of people that apparently came from inside my apartment, which is on the second floor. I got up to see where the sounds were coming from. I went from the bedroom to the living room. When I turned on the lights, soldiers grabbed me, turned off the lights, and ordered me to keep quiet.

The rest of my family had woken up in the meantime. The soldiers had us all stay in the living room. Three soldiers stood at the entrance to the living room, keeping an eye on us. About twenty soldiers dispersed throughout the house. I heard the sound of bullets being fired from the guest room, which is on the western side of the house. One of the soldiers watching us motioned us to plug our ears each time shots were fired. They turned my house into a firing position and fired at the house facing us.

Later the soldiers ordered us to go down to the first floor, where a tenant lives. Soldiers were at the entrance to the first floor, making sure that nobody left. I heard one of the soldiers demand somebody to undress. Later, I was told that the person involved was a young wanted man from the Islamic Jihad. He was under arrest, but I did not see him. We remained on the first floor until 8:30, at which time the soldiers left.

I later realized that, while we were sleeping, the soldiers had busted off the lock on the door leading to our floor. The main entrance of the house is always open because there are other occupants in the building. When the soldiers left, I went to the guest room and saw that they had moved the sofas. The window in the room faces the house of the Zalat family. On the window frame, I saw gunpowder remnants from the shots that had been fired.

'Othman Rashid Muhammad 'Othman, 42, married with seven children is a tractor operator and a resident of Tulkarm. His testimony was given to 'Abd al-Karim a-Sa'adi at the witness's home on 1 May 2006.