Dear readers
Here is the Digest for October 9th, 2004

1- Five Palestinians killed on Saturday, death toll rises to 112
2- Al-Qaeda Fingerprints on Sinai Blasts



1- Five Palestinians killed on Saturday, death toll rises to 112
Saed Bannoura -IMEMC & Agencies, October 9, 2004

A medical source in Beit Hanoun said that soldiers killed five
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, on Saturday morning, raising the total
number of residents killed in the continuous military operations to
112.

A Palestinian medical source in Gaza said that soldiers informed the
Palestinian security that soldiers shot dead a Palestinian near
Kissufim Crossing east of Dir Al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip on
Saturday at dawn.

Moreover, soldiers shot dead one activist in Ezbit Abed-Rabbo area, in
Beit Hanoun, in the north of the Gaza Strip.

The activist was identified as Abdul-Raouf Nabhan, 25 years old, one
of the leaders of Ez Ed-Deen Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of
Hamas.

A local source in the area said that a military scouting-plane fired
one missile at a group of activists apparently while trying to fire a
missile at a tank.

Also on Saturday morning, soldiers shot dead two activists of Al-
Qassam Brigades during an exchange of fire with the soldiers in Al-
Qarm area in Beit Hanoun, in the north of the Gaza Strip.

The exchange of fire erupted while soldiers were demolishing the home
of Fadi Al-Zaaneen, member of the Salah Ad-Deen Brigades, the military
wing of the popular Resistance Committees who was killed five days ago
when a military Apache fired a missile at a group of residents in Beit
Hanoun.

A medical source in Beit Hanoun identified the two activists as
Mohammad Adwan, and Arafat Nasser.

In West Khan Younis refugee camp, in Khan Younis, in the south of the
Gaza Strip, soldiers fired a shell at a P. A security center killing
Saqer Saqer and Imad Bader, who were completely mutilated after a
missile exploded near them.

Moreover, more than ten residents were shot wounded, at least one
critically, in the north of Jabalia refugee camp after soldiers fired
at tens of residents in the area.

Soldiers, on the other hand, bulldozed vast agricultural area in
Jabalia and several surrounding area, and fired several rounds at
water-Tanks over the roof of some homes completely destroying them.


2- Al-Qaeda Fingerprints on Sinai Blasts
Analysis-Ghassan Andoni-IMEMC, October 9, 2004

Beyond any doubt, Palestinian resistance groups are not in any form
related to the Sinai blasts. Not because it targeted civilians, [norms
of the fighting in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict crossed this line
from the early beginnings] but because it was launched inside Egyptian
territories and targeted an Egyptian property.

None of the main resistance groups are interested in a conflict with
Egypt , and all are interested in closer ties with the most important
neighboring Arab state.

It is very likely that Al-Qaeda or a related group is behind the Sinai
attacks. Firstly, there was a direct call from the side of Al-Qaeda
second in rank leader Ayman Zawahiri for launching such attacks inside
Arab countries. Secondly, similar attacks, launched by Al-Qaeda
affiliates took place in other Arab and Moslem countries such as Saudi
Arabia , Morocco , and Pakistan .

Zawahri asked his followers to not wait for foreign troops to arrive
into Moslem countries, calling them to start with pre-emptive
offenses.

Since established, Al-Qaeda stayed at distance away from the
Palestinian cause and focused its efforts on Afghanistan , Chechnya ,
and lately Iraq . The main reason was that the Palestinian Liberation
movement was a dominantly secular one.

If it is proven that Al-Qaeda stands behind the Sinia attacks, it is a
serious indicator that Arab countries bordering both Israel and Iraq
are likely to be turned into an active battle field in the global war
against "the enemies of Islam"

In its global war against terrorism, the United States had already
created more active war zones; Afghanistan , Yemen , Iraq , and
Pakistan are just few examples.

As more countries, under U.S. pressure, are actively joining the war
against "terrorism", more countries are added as legitimate war zones
for Al-Qaeda operatives.

Palestine stands as the "ever bleeding wound" within the body of the
Arab Moslem nations. Humiliation, anger, and frustration felt due to
the sever level of injustice Palestinians are subjected to, together
with the double standards applied by the United States, the main
superpower, injects fuel into Al-Qaeda vehicles.

As the death toll in northern Gaza crossed the line of 100 in one
week, and as the United States produces similar results in Iraq , and
continues to provide Israel with an international umbrella to
continue, it is naïve to expect that Arab and Moslem masses will
become sympathetic to the Israeli victims of Sinai blasts.

A first look at the way in which Israel dealt with the Palestinian
issue, and that in which the U.S. advanced its war against terrorism,
one can't but notice that attacks are growing, more lives are lost,
and more fighting fronts are opened.