Passover massacre mastermind planned mass cyanide attack By THE JERUSALEM POST INTERNET STAFF

Charges were filed Thursday at the Tel Aviv District court against Abas el-Sayad, the Hamas military wing leader in Tulkarm, Army Radio reported.

Prosecutors said that apart from attacks already committed el-Sayad was planning a cyanide attack

El-Sayad is charged with being behind the Passover massacre bombing at the Park Hotel and the bombing of the Sharon shopping mall in Netanya.

34 Israelis were killed in the two attacks and dozens wounded.

Shortly before the bombing, el-Sayad obtained a bottle of cyanide from an accomplice, Tariq Zeidan, according to an indictment submitted Thursday to the Tel Aviv District Court.

After the explosion, el-Sayad informed Zeidan "that he intended to use the cyanide in the near future for a mass attack which he was planning," the indictment said.

Last month, the Israeli chief of military intelligence, Maj. Gen. Aharon Zeevi, told parliament's security committee that the Park Hotel bomber was supposed to have released cyanide gas to enhance the killing power of his bomb, but didn't because of a technical mishap. No cyanide was found at the scene.

Cyanide gas can be fatal in an enclosed space.

The prosecution says that el-Sayad has confessed to his involvement in the two attacks and has asked that he be held in remand until the end of proceedings against him.

The prosecution also said that the Hamas terrorist had planned other suicide bombings including preparing a bottle of cyanide to use in a mass poison attack.

No date has been set for the beginning of el-Sayad's trial.

-- Anonymous, August 01, 2002

Answers

The trial is a waste of time.

Put him in an enclosed space and give him the cyanide. Not in the bottle, that would be too dangerous. He might cut himself.

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2002