The Israeli army and police assessed that the two suicide bombers who blew themselves up Wednesday night in south Tel Aviv belonged to Fatah. The two were in all probability from the Balata refugee camp, near Nablus, the Tel Aviv-based Haaretz reported, quoting security sources.
Al-Nazir, a previously unknown group affiliated with Fatah, said the bombers were Mohammed Attala, 18, and Ibrahim Najie, 19.
The three people killed were one Israeli and two foreign workers. One of the foreign workers killed has been identified as Adrian Andres, 30, from Romania. Israel TV reported that the third victim is of Chinese nationality.
According to Fatah sources in Balata, four young members of the movement disappeared several days ago and it is believed that two of them carried out Wednesday's attack.
Israeli security sources believed that the two left Nablus earlier this week, and may have been inside Israel since then. Intelligence that reached Shin Bet security service agents suggested that the bombers were sent on their mission by Ali Ajuri, a senior figure in the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, the military wing of the Fatah. Ajuri was a close associate of Nasar Awis, the commander of the Brigades in Nablus, who was arrested by Israel, and Mahmoud Titi, another senior Fatah figure assassinated by Israel in May.
In a statement to Lebanese television station al-Manar, the Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the double attack. On Thursday, this group blasted a claim by the Palestinian Authority that suicide bombing attacks harm the national interests of the Palestinian people. A senior Islamic Jihad official, khaled Al-Batash, said that the attack was in response to Israeli aggression and not an attempt to torpedo the reform of the Palestinian Authority. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
