 A car bomb in the Syrian capital, Damascus, has killed a senior member of Palestinian militant group Hamas. Izz El-Deen Sheikh Khalil died after the bomb exploded in his car, completely destroying it.
Hamas has accused Israel of the killing and threatened to retaliate with attacks inside Israel. The Israeli authorities had vowed to hit Hamas leaders "wherever they are" after suicide bomb attacks in August in Beersheba left 16 people dead. "We blame Mossad (the Israeli intelligence service) for putting a bomb in his car," Mushir al-Masri, a spokesman for Hamas told the AFP news agency in Gaza City. Israeli officials have not commented on Mr Khalil's death.
| Look! Over there! Is that the Cheshire Cat?... No! It's the Mossad!... No! It's just a smile, hanging in the air! |
A statement from the Syrian interior ministry said the car had been booby-trapped.
| Holmes! How do you do it! |
The BBC's Dale Gavlak, in Damascus, says there is tight security around the blast scene as police conduct their investigation. She saw them remove the twisted wreckage of two cars. Witnesses told her they saw Mr Khalil get into his car and answer his mobile phone moments when the vehicle blew up.
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Three passers-by were injured.
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Israel claimed responsibility Sunday for a car bombing in Syria that killed a top Hamas leader.
| "We dunnit, and we're glad!" |
Israeli security sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the car bombing killed Izz Eldine Subhi Sheik Khalil. The death was also reported on a Hamas Web site. Top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and the army chief, have warned recently that no Hamas leader — even those outside the Palestinian territories — was safe. |