By Jon E. Dougherty
© 2000 WorldNetDaily.com

FRIDAY
DECEMBER 1
2000

Palestinian security officials say they have captured a man who they believe helped Israel plan an assassination against a top leader of the group Hamas last week.

According to Israel Radio -- which quoted Palestinian sources -- PA security officials in Nablus have arrested Allan Bani Udeh in connection with the assassination of Ibrahim Bani Udeh, a senior member of the military wing of Hamas, who was killed in an explosion in the West Bank city on Nov. 23.

Allan Udeh, 24, is a resident of the community of Jenin and, PA officials said, a distant cousin of Ibrahim.

"We are holding Allan Bani Udeh, who has provided information proving that Israel's security apparatus had booby-trapped the car in which Ibrahim Bani Udeh was killed," an unnamed Palestinian security official told Reuters yesterday.

The official added that Allan Udeh could soon face charges, but did not give a timetable.

Allan Udeh is accused of providing Ibrahim Udeh with a car that had an explosive device pre-fitted into the driver-side headrest. Ibrahim Udeh was killed when the bomb exploded as he drove in Nablus.

PA officials said Allan fled to Israel after the bombing. Palestinian security officials said they were able to lure him back into the West Bank to capture him, but failed to provide any other details.

Hamas is a militant Islamic group opposed to any peace with the Jewish state. Its militant wing, Izz a-Din El-Qassam, is responsible for bombings against Israelis.

Izz a-Din El-Qassam claimed responsibility for the Nov. 22 car bombing that killed two Israelis and wounded 60 others in the northern town of Hadera.

Reportedly, Allan Udeh has confessed to having provided his cousin with the booby-trapped car. Ibrahim Udeh used the vehicle for drives when he was released on weekends from a Palestinian Authority prison, where he had been jailed for two years for possessing explosives and for belonging to Hamas.

Allan Udeh told PA security officials he borrowed the car, then drove it to meet Israeli agents, who planted the explosives. He then gave the car back to his cousin.

PA officials say Israeli agents remote-detonated the bomb using a radio device from a helicopter.

After the bombing, Israeli officials denied any involvement.

Meanwhile, yesterday Israeli officials eased some restrictions placed on Palestinians observing the month-long Ramadan prayers.

Police lifted some security restrictions in order to let all Muslims from Jerusalem attend al-Aqsa mosque for the whole month.

"The political establishment decided that entry for prayers at the Temple Mount tomorrow will be permitted for all Jerusalem citizens with identity cards without age restriction. Entrance from the [West Bank and Gaza Strip] territories into Jerusalem will not be allowed," an Israeli police statement said.

Earlier, Israeli security officials declined to allow young Palestinian men under the age of 45 to worship for fear they would start riots at the religious sites.

Related stories:

Israel makes goodwill gestures to Palestinians

Hamas, Fatah factions plan terrorist attacks