http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4§ion=0&article=122860&d=25&m=5&y=2009
Monday 25 May 2009 (30 Jumada al-Ula 1430)
Hamas court sentences 3 Fatah men to death
Hisham Abu Taha | Arab News
GAZA CITY: A Hamas military court yesterday sentenced three former Fatah
security men to death by firing squad for the 2007 killing of two journalists
at a pro-Hamas newspaper.
The killings took place in May 2007 during factional fighting between the
rival Fatah and Hamas factions.
The three were members of the forces in charge of providing security for
President Mahmoud Abbas when he was based in the Gaza Strip before Hamas routed
his Fatah forces in June 2007.
The Hamas-controlled Interior Ministry announced the death sentences on
its website, saying defendants Shadi Madhoun, Read Magossi and Shadi Ahmad were
guilty of other unspecified crimes as well. It did not say when the executions
would be carried out.
The men were accused in the deaths of Suleiman Ashi, an economics editor
for the Felesteen newspaper, and Mohammed Abdo, a manager at the same
publication.
According to news accounts at the time, Ashi and Abdo were dragged out of
their taxi and gunned down at a Fatah roadblock in Gaza City.
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights condemned the use of the death
penalty and called on Hamas and Fatah not to carry out executions.
- With input from agencies
