Posted on 03/22/2004 2:18:18 PM PST by truthandlife
Arch-terrorist Sheikh Ahmed Yassin is dead - following an Israeli missile strike in Gaza at dawn today. Head of the international Hamas terror organization, Yassin met his end together with two of his sons, two other Hamas terrorists, and three others.
Three air-to-surface missiles were fired at Yassin's vehicle around 5:30 AM as he left a local mosque. Yassin, bound to a wheelchair since he hurt his back in a childhood accident, was the charismatic leader and founder of the murderous terror organization.
Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, leader of the Hamas terrorist group and personally responsible for dozens of terrorist attacks and the deaths of Israelis, foreigners and security personnel, was killed in an air strike on his car," read a statement released by the IDF this morning, shortly after the strike. "The Hamas leadership, headed by Yassin, is also responsible for the ties and cooperation with the other terrorist organizations," the statement continued.
Since the beginning of the Oslo War in September 2000, Hamas has perpetrated 425 terrorist attacks of various types, killing a total of 377 Israelis and wounding 2,076 civilians and soldiers. Of these, 52 were suicide attacks, murdering 288 people. A full list of all deadly terrorist attacks during this period, including those perpetrated by Hamas, can be seen on the Foreign Ministry website at "http://www.israel-mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH0ia50".
Tens of thousands of Gaza residents took to the streets this morning upon hearing the news, while terrorists fired into the air. Continuous shouts of "Allahu Akbar" were heard from the loudspeakers of mosques throughout Yesha (Judea, Samaria and Gaza). These scenes repeated themselves several-fold during the funeral early in the afternoon. "The battle is open, and war between us and them is open. They are the killers of prophets and today they killed an Islamic symbol," said Hamas chief spokesman Abdul Aziz Rantisi.
Arab leaders and PA officials condemned the attack, with Abu Ala - the PA prime minister - actually calling Yassin a "moderate." Abu Ala said that the killing of Yassin was "crazy and very dangerous and opens the door wide to chaos. Yassin is known for his moderation, and therefore this is a dangerous, cowardly act."
In addition to Ahmed Yassin, four other Hamas terrorists were also killed in this morning's attack. These included two of his sons, who accompanied him everywhere, were among his closest confidantes, and were in touch with all Hamas terrorists who came in contact with their father.
Likud MK Ehud Yatom said that Hamas could be expected to try to retaliate for the killing, but that this should not deter Israel from killing terrorist leaders.
The United States called on both sides to show restraint, while Great Britain's Foreign Secretary Jack Straw condemned Israel for what he called the "unlawful killing." France, the European Union in general and The Vatican also condemned Israel for killing its arch-enemy. "Violence is never the answer," read the statement from Paris.
The IDF imposed a complete closure on all of Yesha following this morning's operation, with all of Israel's cities placed on heightened alert. Security forces have taken up positions inside and outside of the Knesset plenum, and general security has been increased in the Knesset building. IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Moshe Yaalon instructed his forces this morning to respond with "maximum restraint" to various phenomena of "active" mourning, protests and even rioting today. Live fire is not permitted.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was directly involved in the strike against the Hamas chief, supervising the operation personally from his Shikmim Farm in the Negev.
Sheikh Yassin is the author of suicide terrorism in Israel. Yassin encouraged the killing of Jews wherever they are found, and recently proposed that Israel be replaced by a Jewish state in Europe. Speaking with Der Spiegel in Germany, Yassin said that the purpose of the "Palestinian struggle is so that all Palestinians can live on their homeland... I am against a Jewish state on Palestinian land. The Jews should found a state in Europe." He was arrested in 1983 for starting to form Hamas, but was released two years later in the Jibril exchange. In 1989, he was arrested again, and was this time sentenced to life in prison - but was released in October 1997 in order to obtain the release of two Mossad agents being held in Jordan for trying to kill Hamas leader Khaled Mash'al.
Israel targeted Yassin six months ago, firing a missile at his house where he was meeting other Hamas leaders. He escaped from that attack with only minor injuries.
Reaction in the Cabinet to today's missile strike was overwhelmingly approving, with some saying it was time for the next step: the fulfillment of the cabinet decision to expel or kill Yasser Arafat. The Mukata compound in Ramallah, where Arafat has been holed up for over two years, has gone on high alert. Senior officials have indicated the strike against Yassin is in fact not the last, and that other terrorist leaders are marked as well.
Deputy Defense Minister Ze'ev Boim said that Yassin received his just rewards after overseeing hundreds of attacks by Hamas. "Sheikh Yassin deserved to die for all the terrorist attacks committed by Hamas," Boim told Israel Radio in the first reaction by the government. Boim hinted that more attacks on terrorist leaders were likely, warning that "no terrorist leader will be immune."
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