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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