Islamic Jihad claims responsibility for bombing

An official from the Damascus-based leadership of the militant Palestinian group Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility today for the Tel Aviv nightclub suicide bombing that killed four Israelis.

The official, who insisted on being identified only by his nickname of Abu Tareq, said the late Friday attack was in retaliation for Israel’s violation of an Israeli-Palestinian truce.

“The calm period with the (Palestinian) Authority was an agreement for a month and that has ended,” said Abu Tareq, a member of Islamic Jihad’s Damascus-based political bureau, in a telephone interview from an undisclosed location in Lebanon.

“Israel has not abided by the pacification period. This is the main reason that led to this operation,” he said without elaborating.

Earlier, Islamic Jihad officials in the Palestinian territories denied involvement in the attack, as did the other main militant groups – Hamas and Al Aqsa.

The three groups said they remained committed to an informal truce with the Israelis.