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| Published: October 11, 2006 |
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Palestinian security officials are verifying claims made by an extremist Islamic group that it kidnapped an American youth in the West Bank city of Nablus, officials said Wednesday.
A fax sent to the Reuters news agency by Ansar A-Sunna, a group affiliated with al-Qaeda in Iraq, shows a copy of an American citizens' passport and a copy of his entry visa to Israel.
Palestinian security officials said all terror groups contacted over the claim denied involvement.
Rabi'a Abu Layl, a senior activist with the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, told Ynet: "Not only we have no contact with them, but we condemn the incident. If this youth was kidnapped in Nablus itself, then the issue is serious since foreign teenagers staying here despite the situation are usually volunteers who come to help us on humanitarian missions."
Abu-Layl added: "This is the first time we hear of this group appearing in Nablus. I believe the statement is not reliable; no Palestinian group would harm international activists, who not only support us, but live among us like Palestinians. We eat with them, drink with them and work with them. It is impossible that a real Palestinian group stands behind the incident."
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that it received a report that a foreign citizen had been kidnapped but said it remains unclear if he is American or British.
Four months ago Benjamin Bright-Fishbein, a Jewish student of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem studying in an exchange program, was kidnapped in Nablus.
Palestinian groups released a tape showing a youth wearing a kippa saying his kidnappers would kill him if Israel doesn't release Palestinian prisoners.
A few hours after his disappearance he was handed over to the Palestinian security forces and was later released.
Efrat Weiss contributed to this report
This article first appeared on Ynet. |
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