(Jerusalem Post) Arieh O'Sullivan - Security sources said the IDF raid in Bethlehem Thursday netted nine senior Tanzim terrorists who were in the midst of planning suicide attacks, and virtually crushed the deadly cell behind 17 attacks since Israel handed over control of the city to Palestinian security forces last summer. Bethlehem became a haven for wanted terrorists from across the West Bank where they had no fear of local 500-strong Palestinian security forces. In fact, some of the terrorists were members of the security forces themselves. Israeli security sources said the PA failed to initiate any kind of crackdown on terrorist cells, and even failed to act on intelligence Israel passed on to them. A senior IDF officer said this week that the army has resumed operating in Bethlehem as in any city whenever it sees fit.
2004-04-02 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive