^^^8 AM ET^^^ HAMAS - Pledges revenge for killing of militant

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Nov 24, 2001

Hamas Pledges Revenge for Killing of Leading Islamic Militant by Israel

By Karin Laub Associated Press Writer

JERUSALEM (AP) - The Islamic militant group Hamas threatened bloody revenge Saturday after the leader of its military wing in the West Bank was killed, along with two other activists, in an Israeli missile attack.

Israel acknowledged Saturday that it killed Mahmoud Abu Hanoud who topped its wanted list and was suspected of having masterminded several major suicide bombings that have killed scores of Israelis since 1997.

The Palestinian Authority accused Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of trying to sabotage a new U.S. peace mission with the targeted killings. Two U.S. envoys, U.S. State Department official William Burns and retired Marine Corps general Anthony Zinni, are expected to arrive in the region on Monday. Their mission is to revive a truce deal and help restart peace talks.

Hamas has carried out revenge attacks in the past, and the killing of Abu Hanoud was likely to plunge the region into new turmoil.

"Revenge for our martyrs is something related to our military wing, but we hope that the answer and the tough reaction will come soon for this ugly crime," said Abdel Aziz Rantisi, a Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip. "The punishment for this criminal enemy is coming, without any doubt."

The group declared a three-day period of mourning and asked Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to observe a strike Saturday.

The targeted killings came at a time of renewed tension. On Thursday, five boys from the Khan Younis refugee camp in the Gaza Strip were killed when they stepped on explosives Palestinian police say were planted by Israeli forces. Israel's defense minister said the deaths were being investigated.

Abu Hanoud, his deputy Ayman Hashaykah and Hashaykah's brother, a lower-ranking Hamas activist, were driving in a van between the West Bank towns of Nablus and Jenin on Friday evening when their vehicle was hit by several Israeli missiles fired from a helicopter, Palestinian security officials.

Israeli military officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the three were killed in an Israeli attack.

In August 2000, three Israeli undercover troops were killed in a botched attempt to arrest Abu Hanoud in his home village of Assira al-Shamaliya near Nablus. Abu Hanoud fled and was taken into custody by the Palestinian Authority. In May 2001, he was injured when Israeli warplanes retaliating for a suicide attack at a shopping mall in Israel bombed the Nablus prison where he was being held. Israel said he was released after the air strike.

Palestinian officials accused Israel of trying to sabotage the U.S. mission. "Israel's policy of escalation comes on the eve of the arrival of the American peace envoys, and it gives clear evidence that some parties are working to sabotage any result ... of the mission," said Nabil Abu Irdeineh, an adviser to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

Yarden Vatikay, an adviser to Israeli Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, said Israel was interested in the success of the U.S. mission "But unfortunately, we have to continue fighting terror, due to the fact that the Palestinians are not taking any steps protect Israeli citizens, like targeting Abu Hanoud," Vatikay said. He said Abu Hanoud was planning more attacks.

In the Gaza Strip, Palestinian school children observed a moment of silence Saturday in remembrance of the five boys killed in the explosion at the Khan Younis camp earlier in the week.

Several Israeli politicians have called for a swift Israeli investigation. Palestinian security officials have said the booby-trapped device was planted by Israeli forces targeting Palestinian gunmen who have been shooting from the area at nearby Israeli settlements.

AP-ES-11-24-01 0352EST

This story can be found at : http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGADBSV6FUC.html

-- Anonymous, November 24, 2001


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