LEBANON: AFTERMATH OF ROCKET ATTACK ON PALESTINE LIBERATION ORGANISATION BUILDING IN BEIRUT.

Record ID: 355264

  • Title: LEBANON: AFTERMATH OF ROCKET ATTACK ON PALESTINE LIBERATION ORGANISATION BUILDING IN BEIRUT.
  • Date: 16th October 1969
  • Summary: BUILDING FROM WHICH ROCKETS FIRED; PLO BUILDING; BROKEN WINDOWS OF PLO OFFICE; TROOPS IN STREET; PIECES OF ROCKET AND LAUNCHER BEING CARRIED FROM BUILDING. Initials WW/VS/AS/PS Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 31st October 1969 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BEIRUT, LEBANON
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Reuters ID: LVA7JMPT77SMX2Z5XM1MAXMPQTJZ
  • Story Text: FOUR POWERFUL ROCKETS STREAKED ACROSS A BEIRUT STREET YESTERDAY (15 OCTOBER)C AND EXPLODED IN THE OFFICE OF THE PALESTINE LIBERATION ORGANISATION (PLO), INJURING 10 PEOPLE AND NARROWLY MISSING THE ORGANISATION'S DIRECTOR. LATER, LEBANESE AUTHORITIES ASKED INTERPOL TO ARREST THE TENANT OF THE FLAT FROM WHICH THE ROCKETS WERE FIRED.

    A WOMAN AND A BOY WERE AMONG THOSE INJURED IN THE EXPLOSIONS. MOST OF THE CASUALTIES WERE ONLY SLIGHTLY HURT, ONLY ONE, A LIEUTENANT IN THE PLO'S LIBERATION ARMY, WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL. THE PLO'S DIRECTOR, MR. SHAFIK AL-HOUT, SUFFERED A CUT HAND.

    MR. SHAFIK DESCRIBED THE ATTACK TO REPORTERS IN HIS GLASS-LITTERED OFFICE AS INSPIRED BY ISRAELI MILITARY INTELLIGENCE. HE SAID HE REGARDED THE ATTACK AS PROOF OF THE SUCCESS OF COMMAND OPERATIONS INSIDE ISRAEL AND ISRAELI-OCCUPIED TERRITORIES.

    THE ATTACK ON THE PLO OFFICE TOOK PLACE IN BROAD DAYLIGHT AT CORNICHE AL-MAZRAA, A THICKLY POPULATED RESIDENTIAL AREA OF BEIRUT. THE ROCKETS WERE FIRED FROM A FLAT IN THE BUILDING OPPOSITE AT THE SAME LEVEL AS THE PLO OFFICE.

    THE MAN INTERPOL HAVE BEEN ASKED TO LOOK FOR IS AHMED MUSTAFA RAOUF, WHO, ACCORDING TO HIS LANDLORD, CARRIES AN AUSTRIAN PASSPORT AND SPEAKS ARABIC WITH AN IRAQI ACCENT.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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