A Palestinian terrorist who had been hiding out with Yasser Arafat in the Mukata compound in Ramallah was killed yesterday in a battle with IDF troops. The man, Mohammed Rassan Sheikh, and another wanted terrorist were sighted by the troops driving in a car. As the Israelis began to close in, Sheikh got out of the car and shot at the Israelis. One of the latter was wounded, but the Israelis returned fire, killing Sheikh, his companion, and a third terrorist in the car. The three were members of the Palestinian Authority's Fatah military wing.
It was widely assumed, when Arafat became ill earlier this month and was evacuated from Ramallah to Paris, that several of the wanted terrorists hiding out with him had taken advantage and escaped the compound undetected. Sheikh, who directed several attacks from within the Mukata, was one of these, and was planning to rebuild the Fatah terrorist infrastructure in Ramallah. His terrorist history includes involvement in several shooting attacks against Israelis, including a roadside attack in which Ro'i Arbel of Talmon - father of five, among them two-month-old triplets - was murdered.
It was widely assumed, when Arafat became ill earlier this month and was evacuated from Ramallah to Paris, that several of the wanted terrorists hiding out with him had taken advantage and escaped the compound undetected. Sheikh, who directed several attacks from within the Mukata, was one of these, and was planning to rebuild the Fatah terrorist infrastructure in Ramallah. His terrorist history includes involvement in several shooting attacks against Israelis, including a roadside attack in which Ro'i Arbel of Talmon - father of five, among them two-month-old triplets - was murdered.