scoone
02-07-2004, 04:54 AM
Sat February 7, 2004 04:09 AM ET
By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Shahdi al-Kashif
GAZA (*******) - Three Palestinians were put on a surprise trial at a military compound in the Gaza Strip on Saturday on charges of involvement in the killing of three Americans guarding a U.S. diplomatic convoy last year. The hastily convened trial at a military court in Gaza City was called days after U.S. officials complained the Palestinian Authority had not cooperated fully in its investigation into the bombing of the convoy last October.
"We are not criminals. We did not do anything," shouted two of the defendants to reporters at the start of the trial.
The names and other details of the three defendants was not immediately available to reporters who received only minutes to rush to the military court after security officials published a surprise announcement that the trial was about to convene.
"We will put the defendants in the bombing incident of the American vehicle on trial at 10.00 a.m. (3 a.m. EST). They will face military prosecutors," a security official told *******.
The U.S. embassy declined to comment on the trial other than to say they were watching events closely.
A diplomatic source said U.S. officials had not received advance warning of the trial or been given any details on the defendants alleged involvement in the convoy attack.
Three American guards were killed in the incident when a roadside bomb blew up as their convoy of armored jeeps drove to Gaza City to interview candidates for Fulbright scholarships. A trip-wire attached to a detonator found near the scene of the attack indicated the convoy had been deliberately targeted.
Shortly after the bombing, Palestinian security officials said they had arrested a number of suspects from the Popular Resistance Committee, but until Saturday there had been no word that security officials had evidence to put them on trial. On Wednesday, Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's national security chief Jibril al-Rajoub accused the United States of "blackmailing" the Palestinians by pressuring them to arrest and prosecute those behind the bombing.
A day later, the United States advertised a $5 million reward for information leading to the capture of the killers in Palestinian newspapers.
There has been no claim of responsibility from any of the militant groups battling Israel for more than three years and behind scores of roadside attacks and suicide bombings.
http://www.*******.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=HGUAL2IVSJP5WCRBAE0CFFA?type=worldNews&storyID=4306098
By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Shahdi al-Kashif
GAZA (*******) - Three Palestinians were put on a surprise trial at a military compound in the Gaza Strip on Saturday on charges of involvement in the killing of three Americans guarding a U.S. diplomatic convoy last year. The hastily convened trial at a military court in Gaza City was called days after U.S. officials complained the Palestinian Authority had not cooperated fully in its investigation into the bombing of the convoy last October.
"We are not criminals. We did not do anything," shouted two of the defendants to reporters at the start of the trial.
The names and other details of the three defendants was not immediately available to reporters who received only minutes to rush to the military court after security officials published a surprise announcement that the trial was about to convene.
"We will put the defendants in the bombing incident of the American vehicle on trial at 10.00 a.m. (3 a.m. EST). They will face military prosecutors," a security official told *******.
The U.S. embassy declined to comment on the trial other than to say they were watching events closely.
A diplomatic source said U.S. officials had not received advance warning of the trial or been given any details on the defendants alleged involvement in the convoy attack.
Three American guards were killed in the incident when a roadside bomb blew up as their convoy of armored jeeps drove to Gaza City to interview candidates for Fulbright scholarships. A trip-wire attached to a detonator found near the scene of the attack indicated the convoy had been deliberately targeted.
Shortly after the bombing, Palestinian security officials said they had arrested a number of suspects from the Popular Resistance Committee, but until Saturday there had been no word that security officials had evidence to put them on trial. On Wednesday, Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's national security chief Jibril al-Rajoub accused the United States of "blackmailing" the Palestinians by pressuring them to arrest and prosecute those behind the bombing.
A day later, the United States advertised a $5 million reward for information leading to the capture of the killers in Palestinian newspapers.
There has been no claim of responsibility from any of the militant groups battling Israel for more than three years and behind scores of roadside attacks and suicide bombings.
http://www.*******.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=HGUAL2IVSJP5WCRBAE0CFFA?type=worldNews&storyID=4306098