Palestinian Prisoners say Ketziot prison raid worse than reported

Saturday October 27, 2007 23:03 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

A raid last Monday on the Ketziot prison camp in Israel was widely reported in international media, as one Palestinian was killed and scores more were injured. But a new statement released Saturday by a group of prisoners details a much worse attack than what was reported.

The prisoners accuse the Israeli Administration of injuring more than three hundred prisoners, and burning six tents in order to blame the Palestinians for starting a 'riot'.

According to the statement, guards aimed their so-called 'non-lethal weapons' at prisoners' heads and upper bodies, indicating their intention to kill or maim the prisoners. Prison regulations require that guards only fire at prisoners' legs. But Mohammed Al-Ashqar, the prisoner who was killed, was hit in the head by a rubber-coated steel bullet.

The prisoners' statement added that 30 other prisoners suffered eye injuries from rubber-coated steel bullets - further indication that the guards were aiming at prisoners' heads.

The letter was signed by members of Fatah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP).

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