[New York Times] Isabel Kershner - A dozen masked Palestinians bombed and set fire to the American International School in Beit Lahiya, north of Gaza City, before dawn on Saturday, causing extensive damage. Palestinian officials said that the attackers, believed to be Islamic extremists subscribing to the ideology of al-Qaeda, placed several explosive devices at the school. Two night guards said the militants tied their hands. One of the guards, Atef al-Beheisi, said the masked men told him, "We are the organization of Al-Qaeda in Palestine, and our swords will be directed at the throats of the infidels." The second guard said the intruders identified themselves to him as being part of the "Army of Islam." The school received $160,000 this year from the State Department to finance scholarships.
2007-04-23 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive