Palestinian Fatah movement on Sunday condemned an accusation that Fatah's security chiefs were involved in the death of a militant group's leader last week.

Abu Yousef al-Guga, commander of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) in Gaza, was killed in a mysterious car explosion as he was driving for Friday's prayer in Gaza.

A PRC spokesman accused chiefs of the Preventive Security Service under the control of Fatah's senior members, of being behind al-Guga's death.

Later on Friday at al-Guga's funeral, three Palestinians were killed and 23 others wounded when armed clashes erupted between Palestinian security officers and al-Guga's followers.

Fatah dismissed the PRC accusation as "baseless and rootless."

"It is a clear provocation that directly targets the (Fatah) movement since its leaders are the chiefs of the Palestinian security apparatuses," said a Fatah leaflet.

"Those who are releasing such baseless accusations are totally responsible for the sorrowful incidents that erupted in Gaza City following al-Guga's killing on Friday," Fatah said in the leaflet.

Rashid Abu Shbak, chief of the Preventive Security Service, had earlier told reporters that no one, including himself, would be immune from punishment if found being involved in al-Guga's death and subsequent clashes.

Meantime, a special fact-finding committee of four security officials was formed by new Interior Minister Saeed Seyam to probe the incidents.

Al-Guga's death and subsequent clashes at his funeral sparked chaos and tensions among Palestinians political factions after a Hamas-led government was sworn in on Wednesday.

The incidents were widely seen as the first challenge to the newly-installed Hamas cabinet led by Hamas Prime Minster Ismail Haneya.

Some Hamas officials said the incidents were plotted to weaken the new cabinet.

Source: Xinhua