Damascus: Hamas leader escapes assassination attempt

Published December 13th, 2004 - 22:14 GMT

A car exploded Monday evening in the Damascus neighborhood of al Mezza, lightly injuring three people who happened to be passing at the scene of the explosion.

An official source at the Ministry of Interior told the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) that the car is owned by a Palestinian, indicating that it was an "act of sabotage against the Palestinian brothers in Syria."

The source added that the blast took place shortly after the family of the Palestinian got out the car.

Palestinian sources assessed the explosion targeted a Hamas leader, who escaped unhurt.

In September, an official of Hamas was killed when his vehicle exploded in Damascus. Syria and Hamas officials blamed Israel for the killing of the official, calling the car bomb a new phase in the Israeli government's assassinations of Hamas leaders.

On Monday, Israel vowed to target Hamas leaders a day after members of the Palestinian movement's armed wing killed five Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip.