Fatah gunmen kidnap 11 people they say are Hamas activists

Описание: (26 Jan 2007)
1. Various of alleged hostages being guarded by armed men
2. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic): Man claiming to be hostage, no name given:
" We, the members of Hamas in Nablus ask the Hamas security forces in Gaza to withdraw from the streets of Gaza and to not kill any Fatah members in Gaza because our lives are at risk."
3. Alleged hostages sitting on ground surrounded by armed men
4. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Masked Man claiming to belong to Fatah aligned group:
''A statement from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in Palestine: The members of the Al-Aqsa Brigade in Gaza and the West Bank have kidnapped members of the Hamas Security Forces and the Ezz El-Deen Al-Kassam Brigade - 24 people in total. 11 members were taken in Nablus and 14 in Gaza. We declare that we do not want to bring the struggle to the West Bank, but Hamas' actions show that it wants to bring the struggle here to the West Bank. We also warn the militant group who call themselves Hamas Security Forces, not to harm any member of Fatah in Gaza or the West Bank. Because none of their leaders or members are beyond our reach in the West Bank. We warn the Hamas Security Forces not to harm the leader Mansour Shaleil in Gaza. Our response to any such act will be swift and brutal. Your brothers, Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in Palestine."
5. Alleged hostages surrounded by militants
STORYLINE:
In the West Bank city of Nablus, gunmen claiming to be from a Fatah-aligned group allegedly kidnapped a number of men believed to be Hamas activists on Friday.
A statement read out by a man saying he represented the militant group the Al-Aqsa Brigades, claimed that the group had ''kidnapped members of the Hamas Security Forces and the Ezz El-Deen Al-Kassam Brigade - 24 people in total. 11 members were taken in Nablus and 14 in Gaza.''
''We declare that we do not want to bring the struggle to the West Bank, but Hamas' actions show that it wants to bring the struggle here to the West Bank,'' the statement added.
The alleged kidnappers also threatened to respond brutally if Mansour Shaleila, a Fatah activist being held hostage by Hamas, is harmed.
''We warn the Hamas Security Forces not to harm the leader Mansour Shaleil in Gaza. Our response to any such act will be swift and brutal.''
Shaleila, whose home had allegedly been used by a Fatah sniper, was taken after gunmen reportedly fired at the house and hurled grenades, according to a Fatah officials.
A man who appeared to be one of the hostages asked members of Hamas in Nablus to, ''ask the Hamas security forces in Gaza to withdraw from the streets of Gaza and to not kill any Fatah members in Gaza because our lives are at risk."
Six people have died in the latest round of internecine fighting, which erupted late on Thursday when a bombing killed two Hamas activists in Jebaliya.
The violence followed the breakdown earlier in the week of talks between Hamas and Fatah aimed at forming a coalition government moderate enough to persuade the West and to Israel to lift their crippling economic embargo on the current Hamas-led Cabinet which has caused widespread duress in the Palestinian territories.
Sixty-four people have been killed since tensions between the radical Islamic group and Fatah erupted into open fighting in May.

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