By DPA
Jerusalem : A Palestinian militant cell planned an attack on the life of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert during his Aug 6 visit to the West Bank city of Jericho for talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Israel Radio reported Sunday.
The militants were members of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the semi-official armed wing of Abbas’ Fatah party, the radio said.
Their plan was discovered and they were arrested by Palestinian security forces, but have since been released, the radio said.
Outraged by their release, Israel filed a “severe” official protest with the Palestinian Authority (PA), it said, adding the Israeli government condemned the release as part of the PA’s “revolving door” policy of briefly arresting militants involved in attacks against Israel and then releasing them shortly afterwards.
Olmert’s spokeswoman, Miri Eisin, was unable to comment immediately and said she was checking the report.