(Sunday Telegraph-UK) Toby Harnden - Senior Israeli intelligence officials claim they have detailed evidence proving that Arafat's Ramallah headquarters is a refuge for some of the most wanted Palestinian terrorist suspects and a nerve centre for planning suicide bombings and murdering Israelis. The evidence that Arafat is at the apex of a terrorist infrastructure is being used by some Israeli ministers to argue that he should be killed as Sheikh Yassin, the leader of the Hamas terror group, was last week. An IDF document lists 17 wanted members of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades and Tanzim militia, both part of Arafat's Fatah movement, said to be sheltering in his compound. Topping the list is Kamel Ghanem, 27, Ramallah commander of the Al-Aqsa group, accused of planning several suicide bombings and of having taken part in gun attacks. Number two is Khaled Shawish, a senior Tanzim fugitive with links to Iran and Hizballah. Another is Mohammed Damra, the commander of Force 17, Arafat's presidential guard. "He is a commander of terrorist actions, even suicide actions," said an official. Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades were behind the last two bus bombings in Jerusalem that killed 19 people and wounded more than 160. One more atrocity could signal the end for Arafat.
2004-03-29 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive