Jihad Ahmad Jibril assassinated in Beirut
Lebanon, Local, 5/21/2002

Lebanese security sources and Palestinian political sources said that the son of Ahmad Jibril, leader of the People's Front For the Liberation of Palestine - general command -- was killed when his car was blown off in a crowded commercial center on Monday. An official at the front's office said that Muhammad Jihad Ahmad Jibril was killed when a bomb went off inside the car he was riding.

In Damascus, the Front's office confirmed the killing of Muhammad Jihad. The Spokesman for the front Abu Rushdi said that Jihad was killed "by the (Israeli) Mossad." He added that Jihad Jibril was " responsible for the military operations inside the Palestinian territories and abroad."

Replying to a question, Khaled Jibril, brother of Jihad said in a telephone statement with the Qatari based al-Jazeera TV that Israel is the greatest beneficiary because Jihad was responsible for the file of the Palestinian territories,

Meantime, the front's secretary general told journalists that "The Israeli Mossad succeeded this time in killing my son after it failed for four times to do so." Jibril added." My son used to be targeted continuously by the Mossad and this is the operation in which they succeeded after they failed in four earlier similar attempts." Replying to another question on the reply of the front and what form of answer (there will be to the killing), Jibril said:" Jihad is a martyr like other Palestinians who are being killed daily on the land of Palestine. These martyrdom will continue and resistance will also continue and we will continue this path and are eager to be martyrs." He stressed:" we will continue the way of martyrdom until our aims in defense of the Palestinian cause are attained."

After offering condolences to Jibril, Maher al-Taher, member of the leadership of the People's Front For the Liberation of Palestine said:" we will continue resistance and the uprising regardless of the results and we will be up to the challenge to continue resistance."

Meantime, Israel rejected accusations of being behind the assassination of the the son of the front's secretary general, with the Israeli foreign ministry describing the accusations as "meaningless." The spokesman for the Israeli foreign ministry Imaneul Takhshoun said replying to accusations addressed by the people's front- general command as "they mean nothing."

Jihad was born in 1961. He is survived by two children and was a member of the front's military leadership. No side claimed responsibility for the explosion which took place in Beirut which which famed for assassination acts by booby trapped cars during the civil war which took place in the country between 1975-1990.

Officials from the Lebanese government refused to comment on whom might be responsible for the assassination operation and no immediate comment came from Israel. Eye- witnesses said that the explosion which took place in Mar Elias resulted in tearing the body of the Jihad into around the car which was destroyed and covered by blood.

Lebanese security sources said that the bomb was planted under the seat of the driver and was remote- control detonated.

Worthy mentioning that the front which is led by Jibril and Damascus is its headquarters is part of an alliance of the opposition Palestinian groups of the peace negotiations the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat had started with Israel since 1993 by the Oslo peace agreement.

Previous Stories:
  Arab peace initiative committee meets in Beirut   (5/18/2002)
  The statement of the Druze initiative committee in Palestine   (5/18/2002)
  Lahoud confers with UN representative to south Lebanon   (5/18/2002)
  Continued investigations with Lebanese spy net with Israel   (4/4/2002)
  A progress in disclosing the identity of Hobeiqa's assassins   (1/28/2002)
  Hubeiqa killed by booby trapped car. Lebanon: the crime carried Israeli prints   (1/25/2002)

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