Arabic-language newspapers have reported in recent days that a Palestinian man identified as "Abu Amin" has been detained for questioning in Syria, on the suspicion that he aided Israel in carrying out a car bombing in Damascus on September 26, in which senior Hamas militant Iz a Din al-Sheikh Khalil was killed. Abu Amin had been a member of Ahmed Jibril's Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command. According to the London-based Al-Hayat newspaper, police suspect that Abu Amin, a good friend of Khalil's made the telephone call which ignited the explosive charge attached to his car at around 11 A.M. | With friends like this... |
Sources close to Abu Amin, who apparently quit Ahmed Jibril's organization two years ago, denied that Amin was involved in the assassination. "There were strong ties of friendship between them," a source told the paper. "Abu Amin called Khalil a number of times between Saturday and Sunday, and they are investigating if there is some connection to the explosion." Khalil was a Hamas militant based in Damascus. He was killed when a bomb attached to his Mitzubishi jeep detonated near his home in the the Az-Zahera neighborhood of Damascus. Palestinian sources say Khalil moved into the neighborhood a number of weeks ago after suspecting his prior home in the Maza neighborhood was under surveillance by "Arab intelligence agents." | Proving true the old rule, "Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't out to get you." |
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