Fugitives return to Mukata [Arafat hiding terrorists in the HQ again]

Jerusalem Post ^ | Jan. 28, 2004 | MARGOT DUDKEVITCH

[yonif]

At least 30 Palestinian fugitives, many with Israeli blood on their hands from planning suicide and shooting attacks, have returned to Ramallah and found refuge inside Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat's Mukata headquarters compound, Israel Radio reported and security sources have confirmed.

One of the most senior among them is believed to be Kamel Ghanem, the local commander of the Aksa Brigades, who is believed to have masterminded a number of suicide bombings, personally participated in shootings in the Binyamin district, and coordinated among several West Bank terrorist cells.

Last August, Arafat expelled 12 fugitives from his headquarters in an attempt to prevent Israel from targeting the compound, after a Hamas suicide bomber murdered 20 Israelis in Jerusalem.

Among the group that left the compound were Ghanem and Khaled Shawish. Israel alleged that Shawish was suspected of organizing cells in the Jenin area and participating in shooting attacks on the Jerusalem-Modi'in road. At the time, security officials estimated that, of the 100 people holed up in the compound, at least 20 were wanted fugitives.

In September 2002, security officials said approximately 50 fugitives had sought refuge in the compound, among them Tawfik Tirawi, former head of PA Intelligence, senior members of Force 17, Arafat's presidential guard, including its commander, Muhammad Damra (Abu Awad), and Tirawi's right-hand man, Eini Alhalo.

Israel accused Tirawi of running his operation as a terrorist organization and of organizing two Fatah cells in the West Bank and Jerusalem. It is also suspected that Tirawi funded operations and smuggled weapons to cell members.

Alhalo allegedly assisted him. Damra is suspected of organizing cells comprised of Fatah and Force 17 members and is considered a close confidant of Arafat's.

Elsewhere in the West Bank on Tuesday, security forces deployed in Tulkarm arrested senior Al Aksa Brigades commander Malek Jila'ad, 29. Officials said Jila'ad commanded cells in the Samaria area that were responsible for numerous attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers in the region. In the Gaza Strip, security forces arrested two Hamas fugitives and four terrorist suspects.

Hamas member Talal Abu Mutsalah, suspected of being involved in shooting attacks, was arrested in the central Gaza Strip and Abed al-Rahim Abu Oude was arrested in the outskirts of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip.

During the day there was a noticeable escalation in the number of attacks perpetrated against IDF units in the area. Throughout the day Palestinians fired anti-tank rockets and shot at IDF posts near Rafah.

In the northern Gaza Strip, Palestinians fired an anti-tank rocket at an IDF post on the Karni-Netzarim road and fired shots at convoys using the road. Shots were fired several times at IDF and civilian targets near Neveh Dekalim. In all of the incidents no one was wounded and no damage reported.

[yonif]

Ping.

[sheik yerbouty]

Set the rat's nest on fire, and burn it to a crisp.