In March 2010, Al Qaida squads conducted at least two motorcycle attacks
along the Israeli border. On March 19, six men on motorcycles penetrated the
Israeli border and fired rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons
toward a military patrol, Middle East Newsline reported.
Within a minute, the Al Qaida squad drove back into the Gaza Strip.
Israeli units failed to block the retreat.
On March 18, a suspected squad of Al Qaida motorcyclists drove toward
the Israeli border. The squad was detected and retreated under Israeli main
battle tank fire.
The sources said the Al Qaida-aligned presence has increased
significantly over the last year. They said many of the fighters were former
officers in the Hamas regime who had undergone training in Iran.
Both IRGC and Hizbullah have used motorcycles in special operations
missions. The sources said Hamas has not blocked the latest attacks by Al
Qaida squads.
The Al Qaida operations have raised tension along the Gaza border with
Israel. On March 22, an Israeli soldier was killed in a friendly fire
incident when two separate units responded to an infiltration alert. Three
suspected infiltrators, said to have not been carrying weapons, were
captured.
"A tank team that was on an operational activity identified three
suspects crossing the security fence from the Gaza Strip to the Israeli
side," an Israeli military statement said. "An additional IDF patrol called
to the scene following the infiltration was not updated that the tank team
began a pursuit on foot. The force mistakingly identified the tank team as
the Palestinian suspects, and began firing at the team."
