Fatah al-Islam debuts in West Bank

Al-Qaeda-linked Lebanese group announces new branch, warns of anti-US attacks

Reuters | Published: 06.06.07, 16:49

Fatah al-Islam, a Palestinian Lebanese group that boasts of connections to al-Qaeda, will shortly open a branch in the West Bank to attack the United States and Israel, according to a pamphlet distributed yesterday in the West Bank and obtained by WND.

"The US, the Zionists and their allies are in a war against Islam. We will soon take the war to them and hit them. Fatah al-Islam is now opened in Nablus and in the West Bank," said the pamphlet, which was distributed in the northern West Bank city of Nablus.

The pamphlet stated Fatah al-Islam "in come coming days" will hold a press conference in Nablus to announce the establishment of the group in the Palestinian territories.

Palestinian terror group leaders in Nablus claimed to WND their organizations were not working with Fatah al-Islam.

Nablus is a stronghold for major Palestinian terror groups, particularly Islamic Jihad and the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the declared "military wing" of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah organization.

Neither Israeli nor Palestinian security officials could immediately comment on the veracity of the statement.

Security officials associated with Abbas' Fatah party said they are working to ensure the claimed press conference is not held, explaining the formation of Fatah al-Islam in the West Bank would be highly embarrassing for Fatah.

Abbas has multiple times distanced himself from Fatah al-Islam, which has been battling the Lebanese Army in the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian camp near Tripoli since last month, killing some 107 people, including 47 soldiers and 60 terrorists. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been displaced from the Nahr camp.