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Arafat prepares to launch security force number 15

Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Thursday, September 23, 1999

RAMALLAH [MENL] -- The Palestinian Authority is preparing to launch yet another security force.

Called the Special Forces, the new unit brings the number of security agencies in the PA to 15. The commander of the unit is Bashir Nafie and he said the first group of cadets would end their training course within two weeks.

"The goal of the special forces is to protect the citizens," he said.

Palestinian sources said the establishment of the new force is an attempt by PA Chairman Yasser Arafat to limit the power of PA Preventative Security Apparatus chief Jibril Rajoub, regarded as the most influential in the West Bank.

Nafie pledged that his force would observe human rights and the rule of law. Meanwhile, human rights groups have appeared to Arafat to release a Palestinian journalist detained on charges of possession of incitement.

The press freedom group, the Free Voice, wrote Arafat a letter in which it said it was "deeply alarmed by recent arrests and interrogation of a three Palestinian Journalists: Wisam Afeefa, a reporter for Arisala newspaper, Maher Dasouki, a journalist for Al-Nasser private TV, and Maher Alami, a freelance journalist for Al-Istiqlal."

The Free Voice said on Aug. 26 the PA Preventive Security Apparatus in Gaza arrested Afeefa, and then detained him in Tel Al-Hawa. On Sept. 15, the Preventive Security Apparatus in the West Bank arrested Dasouki from his office in Ramallah.

The following day, the group said, police interrogated Alami a freelance journalist for a three hours about an article he wrote in Al-Istiqlal newspaper based in Gaza.

The Free Voice urged Arafat to ensure the "immediate and unconditional release of Wisam Afeefa and, Maher Dasouki, and allowed them to carry out their professional duties without interference from authorities."

Thursday, September 23, 1999



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