Israeli campaign to capture Islamic Jihad activists rages around Ramallah

Thursday June 28, 2007 13:01 by Ameen Abu Warda - IMEMC & Agencies

Israeli military forces have launched a campaign for the abduction of Islamic Jihad activists in the West Bank, according to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement.

The campaign has already claimed about 12 members of the organization, including the representative of National and Islamic forces Sheikh Sae'ed Nakhlah.

In the early hours of Wednesday morning a large unit of the Israeli army attacked several areas in the city of Ramallah in central West Bank, kidnapping a number of Islamic Jihad members and leaders who had already spent long years in the Israeli detentions, reported the media office of the Islamic Jihad.

Israeli army abducted Mazen Al Mougrabi,36, who is an Islamic Jihad activist, surrounding his Ramallah home with at least 30 military vehicles. Ransacking his residence, the army attacked his father and brothers. The soldiers also took away his belongings, caused damage to his car, and confiscated the cell phones of family members. Al Moughrabi, a student in the Open University of Jerusalem, was released ten days ago from a detention camp in Negev, and was kidnapped again yesterday for no apparent reason.

Israeli army abducted another recently released prisoner -- Mohammad Khaled,24, who is also affiliated with Islamic Jihad. The army invaded his house in Al Birah City, near Ramallah, causing damages before kidnapping him. Also a student at the Open University of Jerusalem, Khaled was released from the detention camp Beir Sheva some eleven months ago.

In Al Birah city, near Ramallah, the former prisoner Taha Zaytoon,24, was kidnapped again when the Israeli army invaded his home with more than 20 military vehicles. The army seized the cell phones of his family and took him to an unknown destination.

Another local village, Kafr Ne'ma, suffered an attack by the Israeli military, looking for activists. Islamic Jihad member Fouad Al Sayes,38, was kidnapped to an unknown location, and his family was severely attacked and his home damaged in the invasion. Al Sayes had been previously charged for his Islamic Jihad affiliation and had spent years in several Israeli prisons.
The army also kidnapped Ibrahim Mafarjah,18, from Beit Liqia village near Ramallah.

In a related military operation, Israeli soldiers invaded Ramallah City on Wednesday night and early on Thursday morning, searching the homes of Islamic Jihad wanted activists. No abduction was reported..

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