'Fridge bomber' named special adviser to Arafat

Jerusalem Post ^ | Jun. 15, 2003 | KHALED ABU TOAMEH

[yonif]

Ahmed Jbarra, the Palestinian prisoner who was released last week after serving 28 years of a life sentence in an Israeli prison for planting a booby-trapped refrigerator at Jerusalem's Kikar Zion in 1975 and murdering 14 people, has been named a special adviser to Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat.

Senior PA officials told The Jerusalem Post that the decision to appoint Jbarra to the new post was a "natural" one, taking into consideration his "great contribution to the Palestinian cause." Jbarra, 69, who is better known by his nom de guerre Abu al-Sukkar, was released as a goodwill gesture on the eve of the Aqaba summit, which brought together Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, PA Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, and US President George W. Bush.

The officials said Arafat decided to appoint Jbarra as his special adviser for prisoners' affairs. Jbarra, who is a member of Fatah, was also appointed a member of its revolutionary council, the officials added.

Since his release from prison, Jbarra has become known as the "Palestinian Nelson Mandela," because he was the longest-serving Palestinian prisoner. Both Arafat and Abbas have endorsed Jbarra by giving him a hero's welcome and offering him senior posts in the PA.

Last week, Jbarra was present at a press conference organized by Abbas in Ramallah. He is also a frequent visitor to Arafat's office, where he is now expected to serve as the PA chairman's special adviser.

A source close to Arafat refused to say whether the appointment of Jbarra was coordinated with Abbas, who is in Jordan for eye surgery. The PA has a Ministry for Prisoners' Affairs led by Hisham Abdel Razek, a former security prisoner from the Gaza Strip. It is not clear at this stage whether Jbarra will work under the minister or report directly to Arafat.

[yonif]

Senior PA officials told The Jerusalem Post that the decision to appoint Jbarra to the new post was a "natural" one, taking into consideration his "great contribution to the Palestinian cause."

Jbarra, 69, who is better known by his nom de guerre Abu al-Sukkar, was released as a goodwill gesture on the eve of the Aqaba summit, which brought together Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, PA Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, and US President George W. Bush.

These gestures were "welcomed" by the US. More evidence of what the PA is --A TERRORIST organization. THIS IS who will have a state. THIS IS who Israel is forced to negotiate with. THIS IS who the US refuses to view as terrorist.

[MEG33]

It's a fit.Birds of a feather and all that!