Blast Destroys Most Of Hebron's Palestinian HQ: Military Radio

AFP | 06/29/02

[Davea]

Blast destroys most of Hebron's Palestinian HQ: military radio

The Israeli army blew up the bulk of the Palestinian Authority's main compound in Hebron where diehard Palestinian militants had been trapped by the Israeli army for four days, Israeli military radio said, adding that Palestinians may have been killed in the building.

Army bulldozers cleared away debris so soldiers could search what was left standing of the security and administrative complex, known as the "muqataa", the radio said.

Witnesses said the building had caught fire after a powerful explosion, while shots could be heard and helicopters buzzed overhead, witnesses said from Hebron.

Earlier in the evening, Israeli soldiers had entered the muqataa in an effort to flush out the 15 to 20 militants who had taken shelter there, the witnesses said.

The men belonged to Tanzim, the Israeli term for Palestinian militants belonging to Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement, the radio said, citing military sources.

The army had warned the militants to abandon the building before it was blown up, state radio said.

The army's storming of the building in Hebron followed former Palestinian cabinet minister Talal Sadr's attempt to defuse the crisis earlier Friday.

Sadr had entered the muqataa to talk to the militants but found no one during his search inside the imposing three-storey Hebron building.

The army entered the city Tuesday and has now seized seven of the eight main West Bank cities since a wave of back-to-back suicide bombings the third week in June.

[IronJack]

the security and administrative complex, known as the "muqataa" ...

FORMERLY known as the "muqataa." Currently known as the "par khing laht."

[Redcloak]

...Palestinians may have been killed in the building.

I think that that was the general intent behind blowing up the building!

[krodriguesdc]

why do I get that feeling that one day I'll log on to FR and read that a nuke has gone off in the middle east?

[onedoug]

Risky business. Though Islamism will be vanquished.

[Davea]

"why do I get that feeling that one day I'll log on to FR and read that a nuke has gone off in the middle east?",

Because that day is surely coming.

[Catspaw]

FORMERLY known as the "muqataa." Currently known as the "par khing laht."

LOLOLOL!

[Warren]

"Islamism" A cancer on the planet, must be eradicated.
Bomb they back to the 12th century they so long for.

[LaGrone]

LOL!!!

[ml/nj]

Interesting that AFP refers to this place as a "HQ."

ML/NJ

[Kermit]

What's the point of blowing up empty buildings? I hope some Palies were killed, a whole lot of them.

[Alouette]

The Palestinian authority building is seen in the night in the West Bank town of Hebron June 28, 2002. Heavy explosions shook a Palestinian Authority police headquarters in Hebron on Friday after besieging Israeli troops entered the building where they believe militants have been hiding, a Reuters cameraman said. (Loay Abu Haykel/Reuters)

The Palestinian authority building is seen in the night in the West Bank town of Hebron June 28, 2002. Heavy explosions shook a Palestinian Authority police headquarters in Hebron on Friday after besieging Israeli troops entered the building where they believe militants have been hiding, a Reuters cameraman said. REUTERS/Loay Abu Haykel

[CIB-173RDABN]

The Israeli army blew up the bulk of the Palestinian Authority's main compound in Hebron where diehard Palestinian militants had been trapped by the Israeli army for four days, Israeli military radio said, adding that Palestinians may have been killed in the building.

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Israeli making a house call…