S E C R E T TEL AVIV 002337

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/22/2009
TAGS: PREL KWBG ASEC GZ IS ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS
SUBJECT: GAZANS BREAK FROM JAIL DETAINEES IN OCTOBER 2003
EMBASSY ATTACK


Classified By: Pol/C Norm Olsen, per 1.4(b) and (d).

This is a joint cable from ConGen Jerusalem and Embassy Tel
Aviv.


1. (U) Palestinian militants from the Popular Resistance
Committee (PRC) staged a prison break at the civil jail in
Gaza City April 21, freeing several suspects held in
connection with the October 15 attack on an embassy convoy
that killed three Americans, according to a statement issued
by the PRC April 22. The statement claimed that the PRC had
successfully freed three of the four suspects; the fourth
prisoner could not be freed, the statement continued, as he
was being held in a secluded cell elsewhere in the building.
The PRC in its statement justified the action by claiming
that a Palestinian court had ordered the four men released
over a month ago, and that the four were being unlawfully
held in jail.
Descriptions of the break varied from non-violent to a gun
battle.


2. (S) The ConGen contacted Minister of Interior Hakam
Bal'awi April 22 for clarification. An assistant said that
the MOI would provide a full report once it had investigated
the incident. (Note: ORCA has reported separately on this
incident April 22).


3. (C) Palestinian newspapers carried conflicting reports on
the details of the jail break, and rumors about the incident
abound, with some claiming that tens of other prisoners were
also freed during the breakout. Although there were reports
of a gun battle, one source told Poloff that the escape
happened without a shot fired -- the PRC men simply entered
the jail, overpowered the guards (who allegedly put up little
resistance), and freed their comrades. In another version,
several men entered the jail on the pretext of visiting some
of the inmates. Once inside the building, however, the men
overpowered the guards, allowed a much larger group of
militants into the jail, and freed the prisoners.


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