Article

2009-03-23 Israel-Palestine-Jordan

Top Palestinian official killed in Lebanon

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Posted by tu3031 2009-03-23 11:53|| E-Mail|| Front Page|| [11131 views ] Top

#1 More, J Post...

The blast, apparently from a roadside bomb, struck a two-car convoy carrying Fatah's Kamal Madhat as they left the Mieh Mieh camp near the southern port city of Sidon, killing him and the bodyguards, the officials said. A fourth bodyguard was wounded.

Madhat's car was completely gutted in the explosion that left a 5-meter wide crater, they said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. The blast was heard across Sidon. Witnesses said pieces of torn flesh were scattered near the bombing site, as ambulances and civil defense rushed to evacuate the victims.

The Mieh Mieh camp and the nearby Ein el-Hilweh camp are mainly controlled by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah group. Madhat was a military, political and security aide to a Palestinian representative in Lebanon, Abbas Zaki, who is close to Abbas. It was not immediately known if Zaki could have been the target, since he had left the camp only a few hours earlier.

It was also unclear if the blast was related to a reported power struggle among Fatah members in Lebanon. Madhat was known to have enemies within and outside Fatah, mainly extremist Islamic groups opposing Abbas' peace deals with Israel.

Posted by tu3031 2009-03-23 12:38|| 2009-03-23 12:38|| Front Page Top

#2 "They got the Madhatter!"

Posted by Frank G 2009-03-23 12:41|| 2009-03-23 12:41|| Front Page Top

#3 Yeah, I think they got him. Whomever "they" might be...

Posted by tu3031 2009-03-23 13:49|| 2009-03-23 13:49|| Front Page Top

#4 Looks like a Fiat from that picture. They never do well in a roadside bomb.

Posted by Steve White 2009-03-23 13:56|| 2009-03-23 13:56|| Front Page Top

#5 Geez, Kamal. Looks like "wrong place, wrong time". Bet you won't make that mistake again...

Palestinian sources in Lebanon say they believe the bomb was aimed at the leader of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) in Lebanon, Abbas Zaki, the BBC's Natalia Antelava reports from Beirut.

However, Mr Zaki left the camp earlier than scheduled and the explosion killed Mr Medhat instead, the sources say.

"The bomb was apparently hidden in a little shed on the side of the road and was detonated as Medhat's convoy drove by," a Lebanese army spokesman told AFP news agency.

The force of the blast tore through the Mercedes in which Mr Medhat was travelling and threw the car into a nearby field, witnesses said.

Somebody fetch the popcorn...

Posted by tu3031 2009-03-23 14:10|| 2009-03-23 14:10|| Front Page Top

#6 ...Mr Zaki left the camp earlier than scheduled and the explosion killed Mr Medhat instead, the sources say.

Hmmm. A hand-detonated mine (not timed), and they hit the wrong car because the right one left early?

Somethin' is goofy there.

Posted by mojo 2009-03-23 14:42|| 2009-03-23 14:42|| Front Page Top

#7 Sounds like publishing a schedule and then leaving early is the safety tip of the day in Lebanon.

Posted by Ebbang Uluque6305 2009-03-23 14:55|| 2009-03-23 14:55|| Front Page Top

#8 They were ready with the firehose, I see. Standing by, as it were.

Posted by Seafarious 2009-03-23 17:20|| 2009-03-23 17:20|| Front Page Top

#9 Popcorn, popcorn! Gitcher popcorn ratcheer!

**passes out popcorn and candy** :-D

Buh-bye, Kamal. Enjoy eternity with Allan in HELL.

Posted by Barbara Skolaut">Barbara Skolaut 2009-03-23 19:12|| 2009-03-23 19:12|| Front Page Top

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