Hamas Leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin Killed

[mobuto]

The Associated Press has just reported that according to Palestinian witnesses, Hamas spiritual leader Sheik Ahmed Yassin has been killed in an IAF air strike.

Mods: I think this affects more than just Israel/Palestine and should be in LBN. Delete or move otherwise.


On edit:

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Israeli helicopters fired missiles at Hamas leader Sheik Ahmed Yassin's car as it left his house for a mosque at daybreak Monday, residents said, and mosque loudspeakers said he was killed.

Ambulances raced to the scene, and mosques in the area amplified the sound of Quranic verses, as announcements were made calling Yassin a "martyr," meaning he had been killed. Gunfire was heard in the Sabra neighborhood where Yassin lives.

--continued--

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/news/local/8244589.htm

GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli helicopter gunships fired missiles at Hamas' spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin as he left a mosque before dawn on Monday, killing the Hamas leader and at least two body guards, witnesses said.
A Reuters reporter who rushed to the scene after hearing three loud explosions found the blown-up remains of Yassin's blood-soaked wheel-chair.

Witnesses at the mosque said Yassin's body had been evacuated to an unknown location.

"The sheikh is dead. The sheikh is dead," sobbed gunmen and Hamas militants who gathered at the scene.

--continued--

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=4615931

[Jack Rabbit]

1. BBC banner says Yassin 'targeted', but nothing about his being killed

If he's dead, good riddance.

[Muddleoftheroad]

3. Let me be the first to agree with you

He was a master of hate and murder.

I just wish he had died of natural causes instead of becoming what is likely to be yet another "martyr."

[mobuto]

13. Exactly

If anybody ever deserved to die, its Ahmed Sheik Yassin. The real question is finding the best way of stopping Hamas. I guess we'll find out how important this blind quardraplegic shit really was.

[mobuto]

4. The AP wire is reporting that he has been killed

will post link when one becomes available.

[rockymountaindem]

2. Yeah,

good riddance. He's about the most dispicable guy in the whole mideast.

[johnfunk]

5. Cnn just reported Yassin's car hit by Israeli air strike

Nothing on his status, but I'll bet he's toast on a stick.

Possibly a really bad move in that he looked to be moving toward peace talks -- of a possibly comprehensive nature.

ON EDIT: Even scumbags can turn to peace -- I thought Nasser was a total thug, but then he went to Israel and blew a lot of minds.

[spiltspooge]

6. Best news I've heard all year

Good riddance to bad rubbish.

[Lindsay]

7. CNN is now confirming

his death.

[spiltspooge]

9. about time

See ya butcher boy...enjoy hell.

[johnfunk]

8. CNN: He's dead

Just got an IM from a friend in Jerusalem: "From Hamas to hummus. Good riddance." I'm not as sanguine.

[JohnLocke]

10. It took 15 times or so...

...by we got him! :party:

[bluestateguy]

11. Well I'm sure the anti-Israel crowd will weep

I won't.

As Homer Simpson would say: WOO HOO!!!

[Muddleoftheroad]

23. They would weep here

But I don't think too many are lurking here today. They took their ball and went elsewhere it seems.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mobuto]

15. ???

WTF?

[JohnLocke]

16. ""Let us pray for 1000 clones," "all things come around" ?

:wtf: :wtf: :wtf:

:wtf: :wtf: :wtf:

:wtf: :wtf: :wtf:

[Cooley Hurd]

14. How can anyone see this as a good thing?

Do you think this will stop attacks on Israelis? Does this magically remove the threat of terror to them? Yassin was at least speaking peace of late (whether or not his overture was sincere is another story).

I fear this will escalate the violence, not retard it. :(

[bluestateguy]

17. Oh, I do!

I'm popping open a rare beer right now!

Ding dong Yassin is dead!!!!

:party:

[Cooley Hurd]

22. Don't get me wrong - I recognize he's a terrorist...

...and one of the biggest impediments to peace in the region. But his death serves no purpose but to strengthen the resolve of Hamas.

[Muddleoftheroad]

25. You can't strengthen the resolve

Of an opponent that already swears to fight you to the death. All you can do is speed him along his way and deal with other saner forces.

[Exultant Democracy]

44. That is tripe, they made a martyr today

both sides will only end up paying for this in even more blood.

Perhaps you can't "strengthen the resolve of an opponent that already swears to fight you to the death" but you sure as hell can help them recruit more warm bodies to use as fodder.

[MajorFlaw]

43. Why do you think this strengthens the resolve

of Hamas or other terrorist groups. Have you ever noticed that the leaders of these groups celebrate the deaths of their youth as"martyrdom" yet they're in no hurry to risk their own lives. Bin Laden seems to be doing everything he can to stay alive. That scumbag Arafat is pushing 80. It's about time that the leaders of these terror groups are made directly responsible for their actions. Perhaps we'll convince them that non-violent means will better serve their cause, perhaps we'll just remove a few war criminals from circulation. I can live with either one.

My opposition to shrub's war in Iraq is due to the utter lack of a need for it. My commitment to defending ourselves against real threats remains unshaken.

[Scurrilous]

18. It will escalate the violence...

...and innocent people will die in the escalation. Hardly an occasion for celebration.

[chimpymustgo]

19. I'm puzzled how MURDER is a good thing.

I am very put off by the responses here.

[JohnLocke]

20. Another (terrorist) bites the dust...

[mobuto]

21. It wasn't murder

Yassin wouldn't have considered his own death murder. He's waged war on the people of Israel for years. Not on the government, not on the military, but on the people of Israel. He is personally responsible for the killing of hundreds of women and children. Its only fair that he's subject to his just deserts.

Israel wages war back on Hamas.

Was this a smart move? That's another question. But there's no doubt at all that Yassin deserved what he got and a lot more.

[greatauntoftriplets]

24. Political assassination? Is that a more acceptable term?

Whatever.

[Muddleoftheroad]

26. Not political

Self defense.

[mobuto]

28. No, Act of War

Yassin was Israel's enemy in what can only be described as a war. He is a casualty of that war.

[chimpymustgo]

27. I am disgusted by this reaction. How many innocents were killed?

What was this person proven guilty of?

Good God, folks - what have we come to?

[JohnLocke]

29. None, I believe.

Only Yassin and his two body-guards.

[greatauntoftriplets]

30. Bloodthirsty?

Yes, what have we come to?

[mobuto]

31. Proven?

You mean there's doubt that Yassin ran Hamas? He said so himself! That he ordered the killing of so many innocent women and children? He bragged about it!

This isn't a question of law enforcement. Israeli police can't just drive into Gaza and arrest Sheik Yassin. Israel is at war and it has to do what it needs to do to defend itself. Was this a smart move? I don't know. But Yassin was a legitimate target if ever there were one.

[chimpymustgo]

32. So if Sharon gets assassinated, all's fair?

I think Sharon is a despicable pig, who has ordered the killing of thousands of innocent Palestinians.

I do not, will not advocate his murder.

[mobuto]

41. No, all's not fair

I think Yassin was more analogous to David Koresh or Shoko Asahara (spiritual leader of the Aum Shinrikyo cult) than he was to the democratically-elected leader of a progressive democracy.

But I will say this: that the Palestinians' cause was much hurt by their militants' decision not to limit attacks to political and military targets.

[Flaxbee]

36. So you go for the eye-for-an-eye thing, I guess?

Just because one individual orders the deaths of others, then he's fair game? Is that what you think civilization is all about? Mindless retaliation?

[mobuto]

38. No, not at all

Eye-for-an-eye is about revenge. This isn't about revenge.

Yassin posed a clear and present danger to every single Israeli citizen -- all of whom he wanted dead. He was a threat. And a very serious one at that. Israel dealt with him accordingly.

Mindless retaliation?

I don't think its mindless at all.

[Flaxbee]

33. I'm with you, I'm pretty appalled at the gleeful responses here

Celebrating anyone's murder is deranged. And let's not parse words here, it was murder -- call it something else if it makes you feel better about your thrill and righteous glee, but an Israeli gunship firing a missile at someone on the ground, resulting in that person's death, is murder.

(Not talking to you, chimpymustgo, about the 'murder' semantics nonsense).

[mobuto]

47. Really?

an Israeli gunship firing a missile at someone on the ground, resulting in that person's death, is murder.


Does that cross-apply? Are all pilots of American gunships then murderers? What does murder mean?

[4dsc]

34. Me too

This is plainly, nothing short of murder and I am rather appalled by those taking great joy in this fact!!

[Muddleoftheroad]

39. It is PREVENTING murder

I doubt you are really acquainted with what this monster is responsible for and what Hamas really is. This is not the moral equivalency of another army fighting Israel. This group is worse than a criminal gang. It is the Palestinian version of Murder Inc. and he was the chief murderer.

Any attempt by Israel to capture this butcher would have ended in a huge battle with many casualties including bystanders and, if successful, resulted in a parade of kidnappings as his murderers tried to free him.

Israel took the action that was needed. It ended his threat once and for all.

Never again!

[Zynx]

35. The only problem with this is that Hamas will strike Israel hard for this.

Long term, a very positive development.

[legin]

37. Probably worth about

3-5 suicide bombs, 75-100 dead israelis, and 2-3 major incursions into Gaza in reply, with 150-200 dead Palestinians.

About 225-300 dead total.

[Muddleoftheroad]

40. He's easily killed more than that already

Hell, for him that's just getting warmed up.

[mobuto]

42. Actually,

according to some traditions, he's just getting warmed up now.

[chimpymustgo]

46. I have no words.

Is this what people warn about in the I/P forum? If this kind of thinking is prevalent, then that forum should be deleted or very heavily monitored.

I am absolutely stunned to read these reactions - especially at DU.

Stunned, and very, very saddened.

[daleo]

45. It will be hot for U.S. soldiers in Iraq for the next while

This also gets Bush's 911 revelations off the news at just the right time. Although, that probably is just a coincidence.

[smallprint]

48. I wonder if this had anything to do with it:

Hamas suggests willingness to disarm


GROUP SAYS IT MIGHT GOVERN VACATED STRIP

By Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson

Knight Ridder
March 9, 2004

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - The spiritual leader and founder of Hamas said Monday that his militant
organization might seek to be part of any government ruling the Gaza Strip if Israel follows through with its proposal to remove its settlements and military outposts there.

Sheik Ahmed Yassin told Knight Ridder in an exclusive interview that his group might lay down its arms and participate in elections. The statements were unusual because Hamas, the Islamic Resistance Movement, has rejected any role in a Palestinian government that negotiates with Israel, given its charter to annihilate the Jewish nation.

snip

``In the event of a full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, Hamas will possibly take part in the'' Palestinian ``Authority through elections and national consensus'' on developments after the withdrawal, the cleric said, sitting at home in his wheelchair and draped in an Egyptian- woven gold-and-black scarf.

more:
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/2004/03/10/news/world/8140735.htm


I guess Sharon wanted to make sure Yassin would never be part of any 'peace process'.

[Moderator]

49. Locking

This story doesn't involve a US connection in an I/P story, so I'm locking it. please continue the discussion here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=124x61639