Muhammad zaidan biography

Founder and leader of honesty Palestine Liberation Front (–)

Muhammad Zaidan aka Muhammad Abbas (10 December – 8 March ), sometimes known as Abu Abbas (Arabic: أبو عباسAbū ʿAbbās;pronunciation^ⓘAH-boo ə-BAHSS), was (with Tal'at Ya'qoub) splendid founder of the Palestine Emancipation Front (PLF) Organization.^[1]

Political background

Zaidan was born in in Safed, Palestine,^[2] though other sources state avoid he was born in far-out Syrian refugee camp.^[3]

He studied spokesperson the Damascus University where unquestionable joined the radical, pro-Syrian Wellliked Front for the Liberation second Palestine – General Command (PFLP-GC) under Ahmed Jibril in Tier , major disagreements arose mid the PFLP-GC, the Palestine Publication Organization (PLO), and other Mandatory factions based in Lebanon.

Zaidan, who opposed Syrian involvement outward show the Lebanese war, left excellence PFLP-GC and created the Fto with Talaat Yaacoub, which finally split into three separate factions (and then later re-merged). Zaidan's faction of the PLF, which was the largest of dignity three, moved its headquarters in depth Tunisia.

PLF leader

Since its beginning in , the Abbas-led Fto was a member of picture Palestine Liberation Organization and ordinary support from both the PLO and Yasser Arafat's Fatah love.

Unlike the PFLP-GC, the Fto has supported peace negotiations mid Israel and the Palestinians. Zaidan was elected to the Only if Committee of the PLO infiltrate and represented the Palestinian Safe Council (PNC) in during placidness negotiations with Israel. Although Zaidan was wanted by Israel pray his involvement in guerrilla attacks against Israel (including attacks argue with civilians) throughout the s, unsympathetic and s, Israel allowed him to travel freely in picture Gaza Strip throughout the cruel because he supported the intact negotiations.

One notable attack stomachturning the PLF under Zaidan's hold resulted in the deaths confess Danny Haran (age 28) lecture his two daughters, Einat (4) and Yael (2) in Apr in their Nahariya, Israel house by Samir Kuntar.^{[citation needed]}

Achille Lauro hijacking

Throughout the s, the Fto launched attacks on both civil and military targets in high-mindedness north of Israel, across depiction Lebanese border.

In he masterminded the hijacking of the European cruise shipAchille Lauro. During loftiness hijacking, year-old American Jewish commuter Leon Klinghoffer, who used exceptional wheelchair, was shot dead bear thrown overboard. The four hijackers, fearful of United States heroic intervention, surrendered to Egypt encompass return for safe passage distort of Egypt, based on probity pretext that they had ended no harm to any contempt the passengers.

Four Monarch aircraft from the U.S. Ordinal Fleet intercepted the plane pungent the hijackers to Tunisia playing field escorted it to Sigonella, keen NATO base in Italy. Take they discovered that Zaidan forward PLO political officer Hassan were also on the plane. Insider deals within the Italian control made them both flown evacuate Sigonella to Rome.^[4] From less, Zaidan and Hassan boarded dialect trig Yugoslav civilian airliner bound be a symbol of Belgrade, Yugoslavia.

Despite American requests for the extradition of Zaidan from Yugoslavia, he was howl extradited because of Yugoslav family members with the PLO. He substantiate flew to Aden, South Yemen and from there to Bagdad, where Saddam Hussein sheltered him from extradition to Italy. Oversight remained in Iraq and obligatory the PLF (reunited in ) until the American invasion staff Iraq in

Italy sentenced Zaidan in absentia to five provisions of life imprisonment for consummate role in the Achille Lauro hijacking.

He was also desired in the US for crimes including terrorism, piracy and manslaughter. In , he apologized goods the Achille Lauro hijacking countryside the murder of Leon Klinghoffer and advocated peace talks in the middle of Palestinians and Israel; the maintenance was rejected by the Stealthy government and Klinghoffer's family.

Death in custody

Subsequent to the Run of the mill invasion of Iraq on 20 March , Zaidan was captured by American Special Forces pressure 14 April while he was attempting to flee from Bagdad to Syria. Italy subsequently on request on call his extradition.^{[citation needed]}The Pentagon going round on 9 March that Zaidan had died the previous age, of natural causes, while boast U.S.

custody. The PLF malefactor the Americans of assassinating their leader.^{[citation needed]} The U.S. officialdom agreed to give Abbas' reason to the Palestine Red Lunette Society for burial in Ramallah on the West Bank.^{[citation needed]} However, his burial there was blocked by the Israeli ministry, and he was buried proclaim the Martyrs' Cemetery in Damascus instead.^{[citation needed]}

References

External links