The sources said the insurgency campaign was led by former Fatah
security chief Mohammed Dahlan. Dahlan fled the Gaza Strip weeks before the
Hamas takeover in June 2007. He has been based in the West Bank city of
Ramallah, Middle East Newsline reported.
On Tuesday, a senior Hamas operative was killed in Gaza City in a
bombing attributed to the new Fatah-led insurgency. A new group, Security
Martyrs Brigades, claimed responsibility for the car bombing of Hamas
operative Nasser Al Dahshan.
A statement by Security Martyrs Brigades said the bombing was meant to
avenge Hamas attacks. The group said it was one of several factions that
had declared war on the Hamas regime.
Another insurgency group was identified as the Revolt Brigades. The
group claimed that it blew up two vehicles of Hamas's Executive Force near
Gaza City on Aug. 30.
"Those who direct these cells are former Fatah commanders in the West
Bank," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said.
In the statement, Security Martyrs Brigades cited a PA report that Hamas
sought to stage a coup against the PA in the West Bank on Sept. 1. The
brigades said Al
Dahshan had been an organizer of the coup.
"Nasser Al Dahshan was party in the coup against the legitimate
Palestinian leadership last Saturday," Security Martyrs Brigades said.
The statement also said Security Martyrs Brigades targeted a former
Fatah official in Gaza City on Sept. 3. The group identified the
target as Khaled Abu Hillal, the former Fatah spokesman who defected to
Hamas. A bomb exploded near Abu Hillal's home.
"I am from Fatah, and over the last two months I established a party
called Fatah-Yasser," Abu Hillal said on Wednesday. "Our position is
different from that of Abu Mazen [PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas]."
