** Forum Nasional Indonesia PPI India Mailing List **
** Untuk bergabung dg Milis Nasional kunjungi:
** Situs Milis: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ppiindia/ **
** Beasiswa dalam negeri dan luar negeri S1 S2 S3 dan post-doctoral
scholarship, kunjungi
http://informasi-beasiswa.blogspot.com
**http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1139395600296&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
Mar. 14, 2006 10:52 | Updated Mar. 14, 2006 23:36
Sa'adat, five others taken alive by IDF after surrendering
By YAAKOV KATZ, MARGOT DUDKEVITCH, JPOST.COM STAFF, AND AP
JERICHO
Ahmed Sa'adat, the mastermind behind the assassination of former tourism
minister Rehavam Ze'evi in 2001, was captured alive by IDF troops Tuesday
evening following a day-long siege of the Jericho prison where he was being
held.
Five other men wanted by the IDF for involvement in the killing were also
arrested.
According to Israeli security sources, the six decided to turn themselves in,
likely due to the pressure of constant IDF bombardment of the prison throughout
the day.
OC Southern Command Maj.-Gen. Yair Naveh said following the success of the
operation that he was happy with the outcome and the with the performance of
the IDF.
"This sends a clear a message that Jewish blood is not forfeit," said Naveh.
The PFLP issued a swift response to the arrest of their leader, saying that
Israel "would pay dearly for her action. Our battalions will continue to
destroy your enterprise."
Israel decided to raid the prison compound after US and British monitors left
the prison citing security concerns. The monitors, according to a deal between
Israel and former PA President Yasser Arafat, were charged with ensuring the
incarceration of Ze'evi's killers.
Naveh reiterated Israel's stance that there was no prior cooperation between
the US and Britain with Israel, and that the IDF was not informed by the
monitors as to their decision to leave the prison.
Sa'adat had told Al-Jazeera television in a telephone interview from the jail,
"We are not going to give up, we are going to face our destiny with courage."
During operation "Pay a Visit," which began Tuesday morning, Nahal Brigade
troops along with the police's special anti-terror unit, broke into the
facility amidst reports of explosions and heavy gunfire. PA sources said two
Palestinians were killed - one policeman and one inmate - while three others
were wounded in the exchange of fire.
Aside from the six, some 200 prisoners had already surrendered to IDF troops
and were taken to the nearby Jewish settlement of Vered Jericho for
interrogation. According to the IDF, whoever was of interest to security forces
would be kept in Israeli custody. Seventy-six others, who were not of interest
to security forces, were returned to the custody of the PA.
However, the main target of the operation was Sa'adat, who is the secretary
general of the Popular Front of the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
IDF tanks, which fired rounds into the prison, combat helicopters flying
overhead, and artillery, which fired shells at the prison from afar, where all
part of the force that layed seige to the prison. A D-9 heavy bulldozer had
begun tearing down the walls of the prison in order to flush the six suspects
out. An IAF helicopter also fired a missile salvo at the compound.
The army took a hard-line stance throughout the day. One officer said, "We want
to take them out alive, but if they threaten us we won't hesitate to kill them.
"We won't agree to any change in Sa'adat's prison status," said the officer.
He stressed that there was no deadline to the army's operation - "If needed
we'll be here until the night. We don't plan on negotiating - either they come
out or they die."
Ahed Gholam, one of the targeted prisoners, told The Associated Press by
telephone, "Our prison is surrounded on all sides by Israelis. They are asking
us over loudspeaker to come out. We will not come out under any circumstances."
An IDF officer explained that at around 9:30 in the morning, soldiers at the
checkpoint to Jericho noticed the US and British monitors leaving the city, and
that was how the IDF found out that the monitors were gone.
Internal Security Minister Gideon Ezra told Israel Radio that once it became
evident that the international monitors had left the compound, as per the
announcement of UK Foreign Minister Jack Straw, there was no other choice but
to capture the PFLP operatives, who were likely to be released by the Hamas-led
PA government.
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said Tuesday he was holding Britain and the US
responsible for the Israeli raid on the prison and demanded that Israeli forces
withdraw.
"The American and the British side bear full responsibility for any harm to the
lives" of the prisoners, Abbas said in a statement released by his office.
The decision by the foreign guards to leave their posts "is a grave violation
of agreements reached in 2002," the statement said.
The army said there was no coordination with the US and UK guards, but a
contingency plan was in place for such an event.
In a telephone conversation with Meretz-Yahad Chairman Yossi Beilin, Abbas said
that if the IDF evacuates the area, he promises to keep the prisoners there.
Abbas told Beilin that he calls on Israel to prevent an unnecessary
deterioration of the situation and to pull back from the prison to prevent
further bloodshed.
The IDF spokesman issued the following statement, "Due to the violations of
understandings reached with the Palestinian Authority regarding the
incarceration of the murderers of government minister Ze'evi murderers and
additional senior terrorists in the Jericho jail, and after international
monitors left the city due to the PA's violations, security forces, after
receiving a government directive, have entered the jail to arrest the Ze'evi
murderers and additional terrorists."
Sa'adat is being held for his involvement in ordering the assassination of
Ze'evi in 2001. In accordance with an arrangement with the PA, he was guarded
by British and US wardens, in addition to Palestinian jailers.
However, Straw criticized the PA for failing to guarantee the monitors'
security, blaming the PA for their withdrawal.
"The UK and the US withdrew our monitors from the Jericho Monitoring Mission on
March 14. It is the prime responsibility of the Palestinian Authority to ensure
the personal security of the monitors. Over the last months it has become
increasingly clear that the Palestinian Authority is unable to do this," he
said in a statement released Tuesday.
According to Straw, "The UK and the US have repeatedly raised our concerns over
the security of our monitors with the Palestinian Authority and urged them to
meet their obligations under the Ramallah agreement. Unfortunately, there has
been no improvement. The Palestinian Authority has consistently failed to meet
its obligations under the Ramallah Agreement."
Israel Radio reported that the soldiers also evacuated students and teachers
from a nearby school. An armored bulldozer was also seen at the site.
As a result of the operation, the Israel Prison Service has increased its alert
level in all facilities where security prisoners are being held.
On Sunday, defense and security officials told The Jerusalem Post that in the
event the newly elected Palestinian government decides to release Sa'adat from
his Jericho jail, Israel would hunt him down. "He and all those involved in
Ze'evi's murder will not roam freely," a security official said. The official
warned "if they are released from jail they will be targeted by us. Under no
circumstances will they be allowed to enjoy freedom of movement outside jail."
Sa'adat, the secretary general of the Popular Front of the Liberation of
Palestine is believed to have masterminded Ze'evi's assasination. He never
stood trial but was included in the deal struck with the Palestinian Authority
whereby he, together with five others involved in Ze'evi's murder would be
transferred to Jericho jail where they would be supervised by British and US
agents.
Prior to their leaving Yasser Arafat's Mukata compound in Ramallah to be
transferred to Jericho, Arafat held a kangaroo court in his office and
sentenced the four cell members.
Hamdi Koran, who pulled the trigger and was sentenced to 18 years hard labor,
Basel al Amar, sentenced to 12 years hard labor, Majdi Rimawi to eight years
and Ahed Gholam to one year.
Fuad Shubaki, the paymaster of the weapons smuggling ship Karine A was also
incarcerated with the PFLP cell members.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
***************************************************************************
Berdikusi dg Santun & Elegan, dg Semangat Persahabatan. Menuju Indonesia yg
Lebih Baik, in Commonality & Shared Destiny.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ppiindia
***************************************************************************
__________________________________________________________________________
Mohon Perhatian:
1. Harap tdk. memposting/reply yg menyinggung SARA (kecuali sbg otokritik)
2. Pesan yg akan direply harap dihapus, kecuali yg akan dikomentari.
3. Reading only, http://dear.to/ppi
4. Satu email perhari: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
5. No-email/web only: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
6. kembali menerima email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ppiindia/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
** Forum Nasional Indonesia PPI India Mailing List **
** Untuk bergabung dg Milis Nasional kunjungi:
** Situs Milis: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ppiindia/ **
** Beasiswa dalam negeri dan luar negeri S1 S2 S3 dan post-doctoral
scholarship, kunjungi
http://informasi-beasiswa.blogspot.com **
