GAZA CITY ø The Palestinian Authority has released four defendants
charged with bombing a U.S. embassy convoy in Gaza in October 2003.
Palestinian sources said the four were released after one session of
their trial in February. The bombing of the U.S. embassy convoy resulted in
the killing of three U.S. security guards.
The four were released amid protests in Gaza City as well as doubts
raised by U.S. officials over whether the defendants were really the
culprits in the killing. The State Department had raised the prospect that
the detainees were scapegoats for circles within the ruling Fatah movement
led by PA Chairman Yasser Arafat.
On Sunday, the Palestinian High Court released the four Palestinians,
but the decision required the approval by Arafat. The
sources said the PA was not holding other suspects in the bombing of the
U.S. embassy convoy.
During the first and only hearing in the trial of the suspects in
February, the PA prosecutor refrained from charging the defendants with
bombing the U.S. embassy convoy. Instead, they were charged with acquiring
and planting mines along the route used by the convoy.
The United States has offered a $5 million reward for information about
the attackers. So far, there has been no claim of the reward.
The PA National Security Council has drafted a security plan to restore
order in the Gaza Strip in wake of any Israeli military withdrawal. Under
the five-week plan, the Gaza Strip will be divided into regions of control
and government installations will come under special protection. In another
stage, security forces will launch a crackdown against those stealing water
and electricity from the PA.
PA officials said the plan will be discussed with Fatah and Hamas.
