IAF Strike Kills Top PA Official

2006-06-09

Israeli aerial attack on Popular Resistance Committees training camp kills group's leader and PA Interior Ministry chief Jamal Abu Samhadana; total of four Palestinians dead, seven wounded in strike; Abu Samhadana was on Israel's wanted list since first intifada

Ali Waked

YNET

www.ynetnews.com/ articles/0,7340,L- 3260670,00.html

The Air Force has killed the Palestinian Authority's Interior Ministry General Supervisor, Jamal Abu Samhadana, who ruled over one of the most powerful terrorist organizations in Gaza.

Earlier Threats

At least three other people were killed in the attack. Abu Samhadana was considered to be one of the most wanted individuals by Israel.

He survived at least four previous assassination attempts and was wanted from the time of the first intifada.

An Air Force craft attacked a training camp of the Salah al-Din Brigades, the military wing of the Popular Resistance Committee, in the Rafah area.

The IDF confirmed that it carried out an aerial attack.

According to the IDF, the camp was at the time being used to train terrorists for a wide-scale attack, including training to cross the electronic border fence, the placing of explosives, and an attempt to attack one of the Israeli communities near Gaza.

Abu Samhadana belonged to the largest clan in southern Gaza. The Popular Resistance Committee supported Hamas in the PA general elections.

Since the withdrawal of IDF forces from Gaza, the Air Force has been increasingly used to carry out attacks against terror cells, and the IDF has struck a number of training camps used at the time by terrorists, despite most of the bases being hidden.

Palestinian Information Minister Yusef Rizka told the al-Jazeera Arab news network after the attack that "Amir Peretz is proving that he is a criminal no less than Mofaz."

"This Israeli crime is a result of the silence and the European and American approval for the enemy to continue his aggression against the Palestinian people. This, alongside the siege they are holding against the Palestinian people," said Rizka.

Abu Samhadan's organization carried out a large number of attacks against IDF soldiers and settlers in Gaza. Among others, members or the organization killed soldiers by blowing up a Merkava tank, and in another attack, soldiers were killed in an armored vehicle.

The organization also took part in attacks through tunnels packed with explosives.

Members of the organization are thought to be the main suspects by Israel and the Americans in the murder of US security personnel killed by a bombing of their convoy in the Erez crossing.

Members of the Committee openly took part in the elections alongside Hamas members.

Defense Minster Amir Peretz said Thursday afternoon that "there will be no insurance for any terrorist from any organization." Peretz heard from defense sources that once again, Hamas members were involved in Qassam rocket attacks on Israel on Thursday. He ordered for specific activities to continue.

Hanan Greenberg contributed to this stroy

Source: IMRA – Independent Media Review and Analysis