You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Israel-Palestine
Mr Darwin, Please call your office....
2004-05-05
From "You Big Mouth, You":
A Hamas suicide bomber blew up two armed Palestinians who tried to rob him at gun point in the Gaza Strip. Hamas claimed the “stickup men” worked for Israeli intelligence, while Palestinian security forces said the two were ordinary thieves. Rather than give up his explosives, the bomber detonated them, killing himself and the two robbers near the border fence between Gaza and Israel. Palestinian security officials said the the gunmen were criminals who were involved in a car theft ring that brought stolen vehicles from Israel to Gaza. Hamas said the bomber was on his way to try to infiltrate into Israel, accompanied by another Hamas member and a guide, when they were stopped by the armed men. The robbers forced the bomber to lie on the ground and tried to steal the bomb, but the militant detonated it, killing all three. The other Hamas man and the guide escaped.
Why try and steal a bomb? In Gaza? Aren't they lying around most street corners?
There have been cases of rival groups stealing each other’s explosives, but no group claimed the two gunmen, and their families did not go to the hospital to take the bodies, indicating that the two were not militants, who are revered in Palestinian society. A Hamas official said that whatever their intention, the two should be considered agents of Israel. “Anyone who tries to stop a fighter from doing his work is a collaborator,” he said.
This is a few days old, but still funny...
Posted by:Mercutio

#7  It also says much about the effectiveness of IDF raids against the bombmakers, when the rival groups must vie with each other for the means of "public relations", as well as why the bombings seem to have slowed ...
Posted by: Edward Yee   2004-05-06 12:16:27 AM  

#6  This says some interesting things about the paleo economy and the risk/reward equation. Suicide belts obviously fetch big bucks.
Posted by: Phil B   2004-05-05 11:11:05 PM  

#5  Why try and steal a bomb? In Gaza? Aren't they lying around most street corners?

Mercutio, I have to take complete objection to your flip, offhanded, irresponsible remark. In fact, a large part of the problem in Israel are these stereoypes that portray the Arabs as savages who keep their explosives just lying around, which obviously, is not true.

They hide them in the schools, right next to the automatic rifles. This way, they can also be used as props for all those cute kindergarden graduation dress up ceremonies. ;•)
Posted by: Dripping Sarcasm   2004-05-05 10:52:36 PM  

#4  Jeeze Louise! Being a robber in Gaza is a dangerous profession. I guess the best thing is to shoot the mark from a distance, having the olde Leopold on 9x, then approach cautiously after the mark is down and dead. Disarm detonator, then carefully remove belt and related wires from dead mark. Put belt in ones pack or shopping bag and merrily go on one's way.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2004-05-05 10:21:32 PM  

#3  Maybe Hamas is right. Wouldn't most of the local thugs have shot the guy first and stripped him second? Or maybe I just hear the worst reports . . .
Posted by: James   2004-05-05 10:14:11 PM  

#2  Some porofessional courtesy! Honor among theives apparently does not extend to terrorists.
Posted by: Mr. Davis   2004-05-05 10:12:04 PM  

#1  This is a story that keeps on giving.
Posted by: Super Hose   2004-05-05 9:55:51 PM  

00:00