Israeli Airstrike Kills Militant Leader (Aziz Mahmoud Shami - Islamic Jihad)

OC Register ^ | 2/7/04 | Ibrahim Barzak - AP

[NormsRevenge]

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) -- An Israeli helicopter fired a missile into a car traveling in a crowded Gaza City street Saturday, killing a leader of the militant Islamic Jihad group and a 12-year-old boy on his way to school. The attack wounded 10 Palestinians, three of them critically, in Israel's first targeted killing in six weeks, doctors said.

Also Saturday, a Palestinian military court charged four suspects with planting explosives along a main road in Gaza. A prosecutor said the defendants targeted Israeli tanks, but that one of their bombs may also have ripped apart a U.S. diplomatic vehicle and killed three American security guards Oct. 15.

The Palestinian killed in Saturday's air strike was identified as Aziz Mahmoud Shami, leader of Islamic Jihad's military wing in Gaza City. The Israeli military said Shami was in the midst of preparing for "a major attack" on the Gaza Strip settlement of Netzarim.

The army also said he was behind a 1995 double suicide bombing near the coastal city of Netanya that killed 21 Israelis, all but one of them soldiers, and a more recent infiltration into a Gaza Strip military base in which three soldiers were killed.

Shami was driving in a white Peugeot in a busy Gaza City street when an Israeli helicopter fired a missile, ripping apart the front of the vehicle. Witnesses also heard the roar of F-16 fighter jets breaking the sound barrier over Gaza.

The attack also killed Tarek Sousi, who was on his way to school, doctors said.

Onlooker Mohammed Taleb, 36, said he was a few yards from the car when it exploded, and was knocked to the ground. After a moment he ran to the flaming car.

[NormsRevenge]

Palestinian policmen inspect the wreckage of a car belonging to Islamic Jihad members after an Israeli helicopter fired a missile at it in Gaza City, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2004. An Israeli helicopter gunship fired a missile that blew apart a car carrying members of the Islamic Jihad in Gaza City on Saturday, critically wounding the bodyguard of the militant group's leader and killing a 12-year-old boy, witnesses and doctors said. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)

[Stopislamnow]

Yay! WOohOo! Boom! Now they need to bomb his funeral procession.

[Blennos]

I would offer that the title should properly read "terrorist leader".

--I know it was so written by AP--

[kayak]

ping

[NormsRevenge]

I hear ya on the title.

btw

Was that a Chevette or a Yugo before it was swatted with HellFire?

[Blennos]

And, isn't it curious that the terrorists always happen to have children in close proximity to their vehicles when they are dispatched. Makes one wonder...

[Chris Talk]

Even better, it was French. A Peugeot.

[NormsRevenge]

It was a peugeot ... FRench,, go figure,,, I ought to read closer. :-\

[Rome2000]

For the life of me I can't figure out why the Israelis don't send in a cruise missile about 15 minutes after the initial attack and really do some damage.

[aynrandfreak]

Time for the death cultists to rip apart some charred remains.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Good hunting. Too bad about the child (if true).

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Even better, it was French. A Peugeot.

Is Peugeot pronounced "puke-it" or "puked"?

[dc-zoo]

No.. its pee-eew joe.

[Killborn]

One less scumbag. Neutralize or incapacitate. It doesn't really matter to me.

[Chris Talk]

Say "Pujo," Rhymes with Steven King book, Cujo.

Anyone who ever owned one regretted it.

[johnb838]

I know what you mean. They freaking go nuts after one of these things, crowding around, jostling each other. It's insane. I saw them take a terrorist, burned head to toe, out of a car once, and them more or less pass him hand to hand, bouncing and ululating all the way, to the ambulance in which they then THREW the poor guy, and then slammed the door.Not that I was particularly sorry for him, but I couldn't help thinking, with friends like these, who needs enemies.

[American in Israel]

A prosecutor said the defendants targeted Israeli tanks, but that one of their bombs may also have ripped apart a U.S. diplomatic vehicle and killed three American security guards Oct. 15.

As the bomb was set off by a guy with push button, I am supposed to believe that he could not tell the difference between a SUV flying the American Flag and a Mercav Tank at 30 feet?!

Palestinians are such stupid liars, or they think we are more gullible than a two year old.

[American in Israel]

...I couldn't help thinking, with friends like these, who needs enemies.

That seems to be what all the Arab Nations think about them.

[monkeyshine]

My condolences to the missile.