Israel angry at release of 'assassins'

JERUSALEM - Israel delivered an angry protest to Ramallah yesterday after the Palestinian Authority was said to have released three gunmen from Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement suspected of plotting to assassinate Ehud Olmert while the Israeli Prime Minister was driving to the first summit to take place in the West Bank since the intifada broke out seven years ago.

The alleged assassination plot was revealed yesterday by Yuval Diskin, director of Israel's Shin Bet internal security service, who told the Cabinet that a rogue Fatah cell had planned to ambush Olmert's car as it entered Jericho in August.

The gunmen were said to have been members of the Palestinian security forces, who had inside information on the convoy's route and the precautions taken for the meeting.

- Independent