Israel Matzav

Fayad claims PA arrested suspects in Friday's terror attack

Suit-and-tie clad 'Palestinian' Prime Minister Salam Fayad claimed this evening that the 'Palestinian police' have arrested an unspecified number of suspects in Friday's terror murder of off-duty IDF soldiers Ahikam Amihai and Yehuda Rubin HY"D (pictued, top left).

Fayad expressed condolences for the victims of the terror attack, Pvt. Ahikam Amihai, 20, and Sgt. David Rubin, 21, and said the PA had handed over to Israeli authorities the dead men's weapons, which their Palestinian attackers took.

"We have suspects in custody already," he said, sharing a podium with President Shimon Peres at an economic conference in Herzliya on Saturday night. "We are cooperating and coordinating with the Israeli security services, weapons have already been returned to Israeli security in connection with this particular incident," said Fayad, but did not offer specific details about the suspects held. The IDF was unable to confirm either part of his statement as of Saturday night.

I don't believe it and neither does the IDF. On Friday night, the IDF raided a Hebron hospital, arresting two wounded suspects:

Palestinians said that overnight Friday, hours after the attack, IDF troops raided a local Hebron hospital and detained two Palestinians believed to have been wounded by Amihai and Rubin during the attack. An additional five Hebron residents were also detained under suspicion of involvement.

And now the IDF knows who was behind the attack:

A senior Islamic Jihad official told Ynet that the commander of the shooting attack is Samar Nabil al-Natsheh, a senior member of the al-Quds Brigades – the military wing of the Islamic Jihad.

Samar is the son of Nabil al-Natsheh, a prominent businessman and senior Hamas leader in Hebron. The Islamic Jihad confirmed that the attack was carried out in conjunction with Hamas.

I doubt Fayad's 'police' have arrested anyone. And even if they have, we all know that the prisons in the 'Palestinian Authority' have revolving doors anyway.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 5:13 AM