Tuesday, May 28, 2002

Israel Arrests Senior Militant After Suicide Bombing
The army said it captured Rami Awad, a leader of the militant group Hamas, in today's raid. On Monday the army seized a local leader of the Al Aksa Brigages, a militant group linked to Yasir Arafat's Fatah movement, during a sweep into Bethlehem.

Mr. Awad's arrest was one of a total of six militants in Jenin and eight more in other parts of the West Bank, the army said.

It was the second time the Israelis have gone back into Jenin since fierce fighting erupted last month after the army occupied a major refugee camp there a month ago.

The army said it did not enter the camp in today's raid, but a Palestinian man was killed when shooting erupted in the town center, witnesses told Reuters.

The first phase of a large-scale military offensive in the West Bank ended early this month with a brief lull in the bombings, but they have resumed. There have been five suicide bombings in Israel since that phase of the offensive ended, and Israeli officials have reported foiling other planned attacks.

A short-lived sense of security in the immediate aftermath of the offensive has largely dissipated, and the Israeli police are on high alert for more attacks.

Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades claimed responsibility for Monday's bombing. In a statement issued in Beirut, Lebanon, the group said the attack was in revenge for the Israeli Army's killing of three of its members, including a leader of the group, in the West Bank city of Nablus last week.

Palestinians said the bomber was a relative of the slain leader.

"This is our response to the cowardly assassinations and dirty occupation," the group said. "There will be more martyrdom operations until the occupation is defeated."
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/28/international/28CND-ISRA.html

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