In recent days Israel has intensified its media campaign against the head of Palestinian military intelligence in the West Bank, Tawfiq Tirawi. According to Israeli press reports on Tuesday, an activist from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) told Shin Bet security service agents that Tirawi had provided him with instructions and even a Kalashnikov rifle to carry out attacks in the Ramallah area.
The Army Radio reported that during questioning, 21-year-old Amar Mustafa Maradi, who was arrested three weeks ago by Israeli security forces, said that before the outbreak of the Intifada, he underwent military training at a PFLP camp in Iraq. In the camp, Amar said, he studied all forms of combat including the use of weapons and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs).
According to the Israeli report, the activist told investigators that he had contacted Tirawi, upon returning to Ramallah, and was told that he was to join other young Palestinians in carrying out shooting attacks on Israeli targets. Amar also admitted to involvement in the killing of Israeli settler in July 2001.
Israel Radio recently reported that Tirawi was among those that Israel would not accept as part of a reformed Palestinian leadership, on the grounds of his suspected involvement in “terrorism.”
In addition, the Palestinian newspaper Al-Quds reported earlier this week that the Israeli government sent a memorandum to President Yasser Arafat, in which it asked him to extradite five Palestinian officials in return for withdrawing its troops from Ramallah. The officials are: Brig-Gen Tawfiq al-Tirawi; Lt-Col Mahmud Damrah, alias Abu-Awad, the commander of Force 17 in Ramallah Governorate; Shaykh Hasan Yusuf, a Hamas leader in the West Bank; one Fatah leader; and another Hamas leader.
Al-Quds reported that the President's Office did not respond to the Israeli demand. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
