began investigating Monday, May 20, Osama bin Laden’s possible involvement in new terrorist attacks. It came as the Al-Ansaar Islamic news agency, based in the English city of Birmingham, said it was given a 40-minute video by a Pakistani security official in which the alleged terrorist warns that any country siding with Israel would be a target.
"The war is between us and the Jews," The Sunday Times newspaper quoted him as saying on the tape. "Any country that steps into the same trench as the Jews has only herself to blame," bin Laden said.
SUICIDE BOMBERS
Although there were no indications that Osama bin Laden was directly involved in Sunday’s attack in Israel, he is believed to support suicide bombers around the globe, including Palestinian gunmen.
Among the victims of the suicide attack in Netanya’s outdoor market on Sunday, May 19, was Arkady Wieselman, a hotel chef in the towns’ coastal resort, who had escaped the deadliest suicide bombing in Israel 6 weeks earlier, The Associated Press (AP) reported.
Wieselman saved his life by walking into the kitchen freezer to prepare the traditional Passover Seder, just before an explosion rocked the hotel dining hall, killing 29 Israelis on March 27–an attack that become known as the Passover Massacre.
HUSBAND KILLED
"I thought it was impossible that something like this would happen again to the people at the Park Hotel," said Rina Hamamy whose husband Ami, the manager of the hotel, died two days later of his injuries in March.
When Rina Hamamy arrived at the hotel five minutes later, Wieselman was tending to the injured. "He helped save the people. He was so sad about what happened but so relieved he was alive," AP quoted her as saying.
Following Ami Hamamy’s death, Wieselman helped care for his family, cooking meals during the mourning period and providing emotional support. "Arkady was with me, and now everything begins again," Rina Hamamy said.
"SPIRITUAL WAR"
Just before the latest attack, representatives at the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem expressed frustration about what they see as the lack of interest among churches in Israel.
"This is a spiritual war but in my opinion, the church is asleep and unconcerned about Zion," said Rev. Glen Howard, the founder of the International Church of Budapest, who is now involved in many ICEJ activities.
Israel has suggested it will carry out revenge attacks. On Monday, May 20, the son of Ahmad Jibril, commander of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command, was killed in a car-bomb explosion in neighboring Lebanon’s capital Beirut, the United Press International (UPI) said.
SEVERAL ATTEMPTS
It was unclear who was responsible for the attack. But a spokesman told UPI that Jihad Jibril, known for being his father’s right-hand, had previously escaped several attempts on his life.
The attacks were allegedly carried out by Israeli interests, which had accused him of master-minding several guerrilla operations against Israeli targets, UPI said.
