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Israel Blames Syria for Suicide Bombing
43 minutes ago
Add to My Yahoo! Middle East - AP
By JOSEF FEDERMAN, Associated Press Writer
JERUSALEM - Israel's defense minister on Saturday blamed Syria and a Palestinian militant group based there for a suicide bombing that killed four Israelis outside a Tel Aviv nightclub and shattered an informal truce, prompting him to freeze plans to hand over security responsibilities in the West Bank. Syria denied the charges.
The suicide bombing, which broke two weeks of relative calm, has threatened to derail an informal cease-fire declaration by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (news - web sites) and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. It also could spark new tensions between longtime foes Israel and Syria.
Abbas angrily accused a "third party" of orchestrating Friday's attack to sabotage the Mideast peace process, and his security officials said the Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah, which is backed by Syria and Iran (news - web sites), was involved.
In Beirut, Hezbollah, denied the accusations, and Islamic Jihad, a Palestinian militant group with members in Lebanon and Syria, claimed responsibility, reversing initial denials by its members in the Palestinian territories.
The conflicting accounts created a rare sense of mystery around the attack, which also wounded dozens.
In the past, militant groups have been quick to praise their members for carrying out deadly bombings. But Islamic Jihad waited nearly 24 hours to claim the attack outside a crowded nightclub. The delay raised speculation among Palestinian officials that Islamic Jihad was acting on behalf of Hezbollah.
If the bombing had been planned by militants in the Palestinian territory, Abbas would be under tremendous pressure to crack down. But since it looked as if the bombing was linked to Islamic Jihad in Syria, and perhaps inspired by Hezbollah, Israel was likely to give him more leeway.
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz blamed Syria after meeting with senior security commanders late Saturday in Tel Aviv. "The defense minister ruled that Israel sees Syria and the Islamic Jihad movement are those standing behind the murderous attack in Tel Aviv," a statement from Mofaz's office said.
The Bush administration strongly condemned the bombing and welcomed the Palestinian leadership's response.
"Such brutal attacks that kill and wound innocent Israelis cannot be tolerated by the Israeli people. Nor should they be tolerated by the Palestinian people, for such attacks undermine their hopes for a better future," the White House said in a statement.
U.S. officials have been in touch with the Palestinians "to urge immediate and credible action" to determine who is behind this terrorist act and to bring them to justice," according to the statement.
Israel and the United States have demanded that Syria close the headquarters of Palestinian militant groups in Damascus and end its support for other militant organizations.
Syria also faces pressure to withdraw troops from Lebanon amid accusations it was behind a massive bombing on Feb. 14 that killed former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 16 other people. Syria has denied involvement in the slayings.
Israeli security officials said the country had no immediate plans to attack Syria but will launch a diplomatic effort in hopes of winning U.N. condemnation of Damascus. In 2003, Israeli warplanes bombed an Islamic Jihad base in Syria in retaliation for a suicide bombing that killed 19 people at a restaurant.
Syria quickly rejected the charges. Damascus "had nothing to do with the Tel Aviv operation and that this (Islamic Jihad) movement's office is closed in Syria," a foreign ministry official told reporters on condition of anonymity.
Israeli security officials said they might resume assassinating Islamic Jihad leaders in the Palestinian territories because the informal truce no longer applied to them.
Such a move, which Israel recently agreed to halt as part of a reinvigorated peace process after the death of Yasser Arafat (news - web sites) and the election of Abbas, would likely mean the end of the carefully crafted Feb. 8 cease-fire.
In a further strain, Mofaz froze plans to withdraw troops from five West Bank towns and hand over security responsibilities to the Palestinians. The handover was among the most significant gestures by Israel after the cease-fire.
In the West Bank, Abbas met earlier Saturday with security officials and Cabinet ministers to discuss a response to the attack. He also reiterated his support for the truce and said he was exchanging information with Israel, the United States and Europe.
"We believe there is a third party that wants to sabotage this process, and to harm our people and our national goals," Abbas said. "We will not hesitate to track them down and bring them to justice and punish them."
Abbas didn't elaborate on the third party, but Palestinian officials said he was referring to Hezbollah. Security officials have said the guerrilla group is the biggest threat to the cease-fire.
Abbas said the major Palestinian militant groups ? Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades ? had all condemned the attack. But late Saturday, Islamic Jihad, which is based in Syria, posted an announcement on its Web site claiming responsibility.
The claim was attributed to the Al-Quds Brigades, the group's military arm. It identified the attacker as Abdullah Saeed Badran, 21, from near the West Bank town of Tulkarem.
The statement said the group carried out the attack after the expiration of a monthlong pause in a period of "calm" that it had promised to the Palestinian Authority (news - web sites). The Arab TV station Al-Jazeera also aired a videotape Saturday showing a man claiming to be Badran vowing to carry out the attack.
"Let the Zionists know that they will not have security. Their houses and their cities' streets will not be safe because this country is not your country. Get out of it," the man said.
Badran, a university student, was a devout Muslim but had no history of militant activity, his parents said.
In a phone call from Lebanon, an official from the Syria-based leadership of the Islamic Jihad militant group also claimed responsibility for the bombing.
A senior Palestinian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, disputed the claim, saying Hezbollah was responsible for arming the bomber and giving the orders for the attack. He also accused Hezbollah of persuading Islamic Jihad to accept responsibility to deflect attention.
Palestinian police have arrested two suspects with ties to Islamic Jihad. Israeli forces also arrested two of the bomber's brothers and four neighbors in his home village, including the local mosque preacher. The alleged driver who transported the bomber was also arrested.
In contrast to the dozens of previous suicide bombings, no celebrations were held in the West Bank on Saturday and militant groups didn't hang the customary posters of congratulations at the bomber's home. Many residents expressed anger.
"If Hezbollah was behind this attack, I as a Palestinian tell them, 'Deal with your own problems and stay out of ours,'" said Akram Abu Sbaa, 38, a resident of the West Bank town of Jenin.
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I've been telling you guys that Hezbollah in cooperation and permission from Syria and Iran has been trying to destroy any chance of peace between Palestinians and Israelis. I really believe the Palestinians have had enough of these foreign terrorist elements trying to decide their future. Hezbollah, Syria, Iran, Islamic Jihad and whoever else that participated in this attack really hurt their case among the Palestinian people.
Listen to what the Palestinians are saying, they are sick and tired of foreign countries and foreign entities hijacking their cause for their own interests. Abbas and other decent Palestinians are serious this time and will work for peace. This is great news.
iran deployed suicide squads of youth in the 80s during their war and hesbollah carried out 50 suicide attacks in lebanon in the 80s too. its nothing new. ideological fervor+brainwashing can create monsters. nothing new.
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