Intelligence chief wounded in blast at Gaza City HQ

A powerful explosion ripped through Palestinian intelligence headquarters today, killing one man and wounding six, including the intelligence chief, security officials said.

A powerful blast ripped through a lift at Palestinian intelligence headquarters today, killing a guard and wounding six people, including the intelligence chief.

The intelligence service said its chief, Tareq Abu Rajab, was the target of an assassination attempt.

Abu Rajab and six bodyguards and aides were in the lift when the blast went off. Abu Rajab, who survived an assassination attempt two years ago, underwent surgery at a nearby hospital, but doctors refused to disclose his condition. The aides and guards were in a serious condition.

The cause of the blast was not immediately clear.

The explosion came at a time of growing tensions between the Hamas government and moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The intelligence service and most members of the security forces are loyal to Abbas.

The blast went off before noon local time today. Abu Rajab and his entourage had got into the elevator and were close to the second floor when the explosion happened. Security officials said.

The explosion caused massive damage, and bomb experts were sent to the scene to investigate.

The wounded were driven to nearby Shifa Hospital in cars of the intelligence service. Fellow agents fired in the air from the windows of the vehicles to clear the way. At Shifa Hospital, dozens of security agents closed off the operating theatre and jeeps blocked off access to the hospital.

Khaled Abu Hilal, spokesman for the Hamas-controlled Interior Ministry, suggested the blast was set off when one of Abu Rajab’s bodyguards inadvertently dropped a hand grenade. The claim was dismissed by the intelligence service which said Abu Rajab was the target of an assassination attempt.

Abu Rajab is a key ally of Abbas. Last week, he was sent to Jordan by Abbas to investigate suspicions that Hamas was trying to smuggle weapons into the kingdom. Abu Rajab has also been involved in security co-ordination with the United States.

He survived an assassination attempt two years ago when gunmen fired on his convoy. At the time, he was seriously wounded and two of his bodyguards were killed.