PA 'has no intention' of disarming terror groups [will seek and execute
collaborators]

The Jerusalem Post Khaled Abu Toameh Jun. 30, 2003
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/A/JPArticle/PrinterFul
l&cid=1056943843273

[IMRA: While it remains unclear if the PA will use Israeli intelligence
information to stop terrorists, it is clear from this item that they will
use Israeli intelligence information to search for the Palestinian sources
of Israeli intelligence ("collaborators") so that they can be executed.]

The Palestinian Authority has no intention of disarming armed Palestinian
groups, the head of the PA Preventive Security Service in the Gaza Strip,
Rashid Abu Shabak, announced Sunday. "Those who think that the road map plan
means disarming Palestinian factions are mistaken," he said.

Speaking to Palestinian journalists in Gaza City, Abu Shabak, who is wanted
by Israel for his role in terror attacks against Jewish settlers and
soldiers in the Gaza Strip, said PA Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas assured
representatives of all the factions he met with over the past few weeks that
they would be allowed to keep their weapons. "Today all the factions are
convinced that a cease-fire agreement is not designed to confiscate their
weapons," he added.

Abu Shabak, who took over his job from Muhammad Dahlan, the current PA
minister of state for security affairs, said a cease-fire agreement is aimed
at "forcing Israel to carry out its obligations regarding putting an end to
the assassinations and incursions, as well as the release of all the
Palestinian prisoners."

Abu Shabak said the PA would do its utmost to prevent inter-Palestinian
fighting, warning that his forces would not allow any faction to drag the
Palestinians into a civil war.

He also rebuffed allegations that his force was collaborating with Israel in
thwarting terrorist attacks, claiming that the PSS was also being targeted
by Israel.

He said Israel's military "aggression" against the Palestinians hasn't
stopped for a moment.

"Each time we are close to an agreement with the other factions, Israel
tries to foil such an agreement by stepping up its attacks or assassinating
resistance fighters," he said.

"This has been the case ever since we returned to the homeland and the PA
was established."

Abu Shabak also claimed that Israel doesn't want the Palestinian to reach
any agreement because that would mean it must fulfill its obligations as
defined by the road map.

Asked about rumors in the Gaza Strip that the PSS has already begun
arresting members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, Abu Shabak replied: "I
challenge all those who are talking about this to provide us with the name
of one Palestinian fighter who is being held by the Palestinian security
forces.

All the Palestinians, including the security forces and the resistance
fighters, are prisoners in the occupation jails."

Abu Shabak vowed to continue chasing Palestinians suspected of collaboration
with Israel, saying his men managed to arrest several people who allegedly
helped in the assassination of some Hamas and Islamic Jihad activists.

He noted that some of the suspects have been executed and others have been
sentenced to death.

"We are waiting for President Yasser Arafat to approve the death sentences
so that we can execute them," he added.