Jenin, Oct 01: Israeli soldiers supported by attack helicopters swooped down on a refugee camp early today to arrest the West Bank leader of Islamic Jihad, a Palestinian security source said. Bassam Saadi, 42, was arrested in the refugee camp adjacent the northern West Bank city of Jenin.

He was picked up by Israeli soldiers travelling in some 20 jeeps and backed up by apache helicopters. They opened fire as they entered the area and met no resistance. An Israeli military source confirmed to a news agency that a "senior Islamic Jihad leader had been arrested in Jenin", without identifying him.

Islamic Jihad is one of two main Palestinian Islamic groups - the other being Hamas - which mount anti-Israeli attacks.

Another 14 wanted Palestinians were also arrested overnight in the West Bank, the source added. Palestinian security sources also said that some 15 Israeli tanks and a similar number of jeeps had entered the West Bank town of Qalqilya at around 7:00 am local time. They then imposed a curfew and conducted house-to-house searches.

Meanwhile, Palestinian security sources said two Palestinians had been wounded during an Israeli Army operation in the southern Rafah region of the Gaza Strip, close to the border with Egypt.

Some 15 houses were destroyed in the operation, they added. There was no immediate confirmation of the operation from the Israelis.

Bureau Report