Palestinian militants storm intelligence HQ

Palestinian militants, members of Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the armed wing of Fatah movement stormed at predawn on Sunday the headquarters of the Palestinian military intelligence in the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Younis, local residents said.

The residents said that the militants stormed the building, disarmed all militants in it, and then burned it all in protest to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's nomination to Musa Arafat as the new chief of general security.

Before Musa Arafat was nominated as the new chief of the Palestinian general security, he was the chief of military intelligence.

The militants said in a leaflet published in Khan Younis that storming the headquarters was to protest the nomination and to express that the group is against the nomination "of another corrupted commander."

The building was besieged by the militants, where several military intelligence were held into it for several houses, said the residents, adding that after negotiations with the militants, they set everyone in the building free.

A status of security anarchy is prevailing the Gaza Strip since Friday, where Palestinian militants and opposition in Fatah movement and in the PNA are calling for reforms and end of

corruption.

Al Aqsa Brigades had warned in a leaflet issued on Saturday that its militants would take the law in their hands if reforms are not made and if corrupted PNA security officials are not sacked and taken to court. Enditem

Palestinian intelligence offices set fire: Arabia TV

Palestinian intelligence offices in the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Younis were set fire on Sunday by armed militants, who released prisoners being held there, the Arabia TV channel reported.

Militants announced that the military intelligence service was dissolved, weapons were seized and prisoners set free.

The Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, an armed wing of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement, claimed responsibility for the assault, saying the action was in response to the Musa Arafat's designation as new commander of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) security forces.

The militants also demanded Musa, accused by the group of corruption, submit resignation.

Mass demonstration was staged Saturday night, in protest for Musa's appointment and calling for Arafat to stamp out corruption and rid the PNA of corrupt officials.

The attack came after Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei tendered his resignation letter to Arafat amid surging chaos in the Gaza Strip, fraught with kidnappings, demonstration and attacks.

Source: Xinhua