World Tribune.com

Israelis discover Iran-backed explosives lab in West Bank

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Monday, June 20, 2005

Israeli security sources have uncovered evidence the Iranian-sponsored Islamic Jihad has established a network of recruits, weapons and suicide bombing facilities in the West Bank.

The sources said Jihad has been financed by Iran and Hizbullah to launch a series of suicide attacks against Israeli civilian targets, Middle East Newsline reported.

"The aim is to give Jihad an independent capability to launch suicide strikes without help from anybody else," a security source said. "Until now, Jihad had to depend on larger groups, such as Fatah and Hamas.

Jihad established an explosive production facility in the West Bank city of Jenin, the sources said. Israeli military and security units discovered an explosives laboratory on June 17 and captured 50 kilograms of explosives.

Israeli military sappers later destroyed the explosives.

"The Islamic Jihad terror organization continuously operates to carry out terror attacks during this declared period of calm," an Israeli military statement said.

Israeli authorities arrested a 21-year-old Jihad operative identified as Rami Muhammed Hassan Kandil. The sources said Kandil, released by Israel in February 2005 in a goodwill gesture to the Palestinian Authority, had planned to carry out a suicide terror attack inside Israel.

The sources said the Jihad network in Jenin has been directed by the organization's leadership in Damascus. They said Jihad has also received new weapons, including missiles, in the Gaza Strip.

On late Saturday, Palestinian gunners fired a Kassam-class, short-range missile toward Israel. The missile landed in the Israeli city of Sderot, but did not cause injuries or damage.

The insurgency has also acted against those linked to the PA. In the latest incident, about 70 gunmen from the ruling Fatah movement stormed a medical center in Gaza City operated by PA Civil Affairs Minister Mohammed Dahlan on June 15.

The gunmen, said to have been backed by former PA security officers, destroyed computers and other equipment in the medical center. No arrests were made.

"Much more needs to be done, particularly to use actively the security forces to combat lawlessness and to combat terrorism," visiting U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in Ramallah on Saturday.


Copyright © 2005 East West Services, Inc.

Print this Article Print this Article Email this article Email this article Subscribe to this Feature Free Headline Alerts


Google
Search Worldwide Web Search WorldTribune.com Search WorldTrib Archives