Four Palestinians were charged Saturday with planting explosives that may have killed three Americans traveling in a diplomatic convoy in the Gaza Strip in October.
| That was quick, wasn't it? We should use blackmail more often... |
The four men, who appeared Saturday before a military court in Gaza City, are accused of planting roadside bombs on a main highway leading into the Gaza Strip from the Erez crossing point with Israel. The four men charged were Naeem Deeb Abu Fool, 42; Basheer Abu Laban, 32; Mohammed Dosouki Asaliyye, 21; and Ahmed Abdel Fattah Safi, 23. All four are from Gazaâs Jebaliya refugee camp, a festering sore stronghold of Palestinian Islamic militant groups. U.S. officials have been pressing the Palestinians to find those behind the attack and have repeatedly said they are disappointed with the level of cooperation from Palestinian police. Recently, they warned Palestinian authorities that some U.S. aid programs may be scaled back or canceled if there wasnât any progress in the probe. Military prosecutor, Jamal Shamiyye, presented the courtâs three-judge panel with handwritten statements from the four suspects in which they acknowledged planting explosives in the area to target Israeli forces. The men didnât have lawyers with them during Saturdayâs indictment. The court set a trial date for Feb. 29.
They also shouted out at their appearance, âWe are not criminals. We did not do anything.â, reported the Khaleej Times. Too bad Arafat, the real culprit, isnât on trial. |