Gunmen murder Arafat's cousin

Dozens of gunmen shot dead a cousin of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat early today after storming his home.

Former Gaza security chief Moussa Arafat, 65, had been sacked earlier this year by Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. It was not immediately clear who the gunmen were.

Moussa Arafat was linked to corruption charges, had many powerful enemies, and it was thought that his killing was related to internal conflicts.

The gunmen fired at his house in Gaza City and fired rocket-propelled grenades, then stormed the house, killing Arafat and kidnapping his oldest son, Nimhel, who is a senior security official, witnesses said.

An Associated Press Television News cameraman saw Moussa Arafat’s body being taken from the house to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, but angry bodyguards prevented him from taking pictures.

There was no immediate comment from the Palestinian Authority.