Gaza Man Arrested For Child Killings

Palestinian police today have arrested a Gaza man in connection with the killing of three young children several days ago.

GAZA, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Palestinian intelligence agents arrested a member of a militant group in Gaza on Thursday in connection with the deaths of three young children earlier this week, witnesses and a security source said.

The General Intelligence unit of the Palestinian security forces, a body allied to President Mahmoud Abbas, arrested Hisham Mukhaimar, a member of the Popular Resistance Committees, at his home in Gaza City, the group and witnesses said.

A Palestinian security source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the arrest was linked to the investigation into the killing on Monday of three schoolboys whose father was an intelligence official considered close to Abbas.

The General Intelligence unit would not comment on the arrest.

Because General Intelligence rarely arrest members of militant groups, Thursday's operation was considered significant, political sources said.

A spokesman for the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) demanded Mukhaimar's immediate release and threatened retaliation if he was not set free.

"The PRC condemns the arrest by tens of masked men from the General Intelligence of a member of the PRC after they threw hand grenades and opened fire at his house," Abu Amir said.

"We demand his immediate release or else."

Ambulance workers said two people were wounded during the arrest operation, including a member of the security forces.

I love the "or else" bit. What are they going to do? Start a civil war? Too late. It is already in progress.

It appears that the Popular Resistance Committees are allied with Hamas. Given the outrage over the killing of the children it would appear that the Popular Resistance Committees are not as popular as they used to be.