Air Raids Justify Prisoner Release

PA: Air raids justify terrorists' release
By Lamia Lahoud
Jerusalem Post


RAMALLAH (February 8) - Palestinian Authority officials justified the release of Palestinian terrorists from jails in Nablus and Jenin yesterday, saying that they had to release the militants to ensure their safety following Israeli air raids on Nablus and in anticipation of new attacks last night.

Those freed included Islamic Jihad members Muhammed Tawalbeh and Ali Safouri, who had been included on a US list of 33 militants Washington wanted to see behind bars. Israeli security believes Tawalbeh has been involved in 15 attacks against Israelis.

"How could we keep them in jail when Israel is bombing the jail," Bassam Abu Sharif, an advisor to PA Chairman Yasser Arafat, asked.

IAF planes struck the area around Nablus's governor's compound, which houses the jail, but did not hit the compound. Abu Sharif said 20 people, mostly policemen, were injured in the raid.

Officially, the PA said it had moved the prisoners from the Nablus jail to another safe location, but Palestinian sources said they were all released.

"Where should the PA hide them? Israel will know where they are and can assassinate them. That would put the PA in a difficult situation with the Palestinian population," one PA source said.

In Jenin, Palestinian gunmen stormed to an apartment that is used as a jail following the air attack and freed seven Islamic Jihad and Hamas militants. Palestinian sources said the police did not resist the gunmen.

Abu Sharif accused Israel of "making it impossible for the PA to keep militants in jail" by targeting the prisons. He accused Israel of doing so on purpose to embarrass the PA in front of the Americans.

Meanwhile, Palestinian sources admitted that Israel's capture of a truck load of Kassem rockets in Nablus on their way to Jenin was embarrassing, but downplayed the incident, saying that the rockets that were found were "harmless."

Palestinian sources said the Hamas leadership abroad was trying to escalate the situation and pressure Hamas to use the rockets to corner the PA and boycott any diplomatic progress.