Terror leader killed in West Bank

An Israeli helicopter fired a missile at a car in the West Bank town of Jenin today, killing three people, including a militant leader, Palestinian security officials said.

The main target appeared to be Mahmoud Abu Halifa, a leader of the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, a violent group linked to Yasser Arafat’s Fatah movement. He was killed along with two other people who were not immediately identified.

“I heard a large explosion and saw the car totally burned. People in the area pulled out three bodies from the car,” said witness Hassan Jara.

Palestinians said Abu Halifa was the deputy to Zakariye Zubeydi, local commander of the Al Aqsa group, a top fugitive who has been hiding from the Israelis for years.

The Israeli military refused to comment.

Jenin is at the northern edge of the West Bank. The town is a known centre for militant groups, including Al Aqsa and Islamic Jihad.

During four years of Palestinian-Israeli violence, Israel has killed dozens of Palestinian militants with in air strikes. Bystanders have also been killed and wounded. Israel defends the practice as self-defence, saying it is preventing Palestinian terror attacks. Palestinians and human rights groups denounce it as summary execution.