Al-Hamoud: The terrorist cell's camouflage methods required a great deal of patience before they were caught red-handed

Former Director of Public Security and Senate member Fadel Al-Hamoud presented a comprehensive analysis on Wednesday of the location used by the terrorist cell, based on the video footage and confessions related to the case. This analysis is from a military and technical perspective

Al-Hamoud stated, during his interview with the "Voice of the Kingdom" program on Al-Mamlaka TV, that the warehouse used by the terrorist cell was deliberately built in an industrial hangar area. This was done to camouflage itself and avoid suspicion

He added that the cell had constructed a building on a plot of land in a manner that suggested it was a factory under construction, giving the impression that work was underway to establish an industrial facility. They placed a "caravan" and construction materials on the site without any existing buildings to enhance camouflage

Al-Hamoud emphasized that the overall design of the site demonstrates a carefully crafted attempt to conceal the real activities taking place there, particularly the presence of underground chambers that could not be detected at first glance or even by ordinary traffic in the area

Al-Hamoud pointed out that upon entering through the main gate, the ground appears completely flat; nothing appears beneath it; therefore, it is impossible for anyone to suspect the existence of underground chambers.

Al-Hamoud explained that the site is surrounded by very high walls, except for the area where there is a mound of earth or something resembling a mountain of earth, describing it as the striking feature of the design. He noted that the high walls are not typical of a factory, demonstrating the extent of the camouflage planning

He explained that the main door was located next to the caravan and served solely for camouflage purposes, explaining that the side door was used for the entry and exit of individuals and vehicles

He also detailed the access to the underground rooms, explaining that the building's door leading to these rooms is approximately 3 meters wide, allowing for easy entry and exit of vehicles for loading and unloading.

He added that one of the underground rooms, measuring between 50 and 70 square meters, was designed with a highly camouflaged design, so that anyone entering it would not notice the presence of other doors or entrances. All the doors are camouflaged with plaster or concrete, leaving only the walls inside visible, making it even more difficult to detect other doors and rooms

Al-Hamoud estimated the area of ​​the room used for the manufacturing process to be between 200 and 300 square meters. He also discussed the door's design and the opening method, which involved using a water tap to disguise the key's location. He emphasized that this method of operation is used by professionals in the technical and military fields

He emphasized that the preparation and planning process for these operations took months and years, including trips to an Arab country and meetings with an unidentified individual there, before returning to meet him again a year later and receiving sums of money.

Al-Hamoud revealed the reason for the General Intelligence Department's hesitation in arresting this cell, stating that such cases require a "long process" that can last months or years, and that the arrest must be made "in flagrante delicto"

Al-Hamoud mentioned the range of the missiles being prepared, which was between 3 and 5 kilometers, and that the drones they were trying to build could travel a maximum distance of 12 kilometers. He stressed that their range could not be used to support the resistance, as some have claimed, which shows that they were being prepared for internal use (within Jordanian territory)

He stated that planning for the operation began in 2021, before the war in the Gaza Strip, adding that this confirmed that the primary objective was national security, and nothing else

Al-Hamoud discussed the structure and operation of the cell, which included its division into four groups connected by a single network, managed using a method known in security terminology as "threaded communication." He emphasized that this method is based on each group carrying out a specific task, with the next group then taking over. Members of the first group know nothing about members of the second group, and so on

for the third and fourth, while only the leader knows all the individuals

He explained that this method is extremely complex from a security perspective and is used to evade detection if one of the groups is arrested, making it difficult for security agencies to access the entire network. This is one of the reasons why it took so long for the intelligence services to unmask the operation, which managed to accurately track and identify all the individuals

He added that this type of communication requires high training and professionalism, which proves that those behind this network are well-trained, and according to the confessions, each group has a specific task within an organized plan

Al-Hamoud emphasized that, according to the data, the cell would have succeeded in manufacturing missiles if it had not been unmasked and arrested, due to the materials used and the quantity and quality of the materials

Al-Hamoud expects that the ongoing investigations into the cell's members will reveal names other than those previously announced

In response to a question about the group the cell was seeking to target, Al-Hamoud indicated that it could have included military institutions, public institutions, and civilian facilities in Jordan