Backed by tanks and armored vehicles, the troops raided and took over the building, while other units combed neighborhoods in Jenin and Shechem for wanted terrorists.



In the complex raid on the PA intelligence offices, soldiers ordered the PA headquarters commander to turn over the wanted terrorists, according to an IDF spokesman, who added, "The commander and other Palestinian officers who had exited the building denied the existence of any terrorists hiding inside the building. Subsequent searches revealed equipment and other evidence of the wanted terrorists having been present recently in the headquarters."



"The Palestinian commander was questioned and admitted that he had aided the Islamic Jihad terrorists who were hiding in the building last night. The headquarters commander was released following the questioning," according to the IDF.



The military spokesman offered no explanation for the army’s not having arrested the PA commander who shielded terrorists, but stated that the IDF "views with severity the phenomenon of Palestinian Authority officials knowingly aiding wanted Islamic Jihad terrorists."



In other actions, soldiers arrested terrorists near Tulkarm, where a curfew has been imposed since Thursday's suicide bombing which killed an IDF officer.