LEBANON: Funeral of assassinated Palestinian leader Al-Kayyali and speech by Fatah member Abu Jihad

Record ID: 378095

  • Title: LEBANON: Funeral of assassinated Palestinian leader Al-Kayyali and speech by Fatah member Abu Jihad
  • Date: 10th December 1981
  • Summary: BEIRUT, LEBANON (VISNEWS - MOHAMMED AWWAD AND TEWFIC GHAZZAWI) SV/CU Troops with guns mounted on jeeps drive past funeral ambulance (2 shots) SV PAN Coffin carried to ambulance CU Portrait of dead man on front of ambulance SV/TV PAN Arafat and others in procession (2 shots) CU INTERIOR Office where Al Kayyali was shot SV/CU His desk and photograph (2 shots) CU Bullet holes in desk and wall (3 shots) SV PAN Chair and desk CU Abu Jihad speaking SPEECH (TRANSCRIPT) ABU JIHAD: (SEQ. 9) "We believe that they are claiming the PLO only, they will. They are claiming the PLO are the arms of the rebuilding their forces, of breaking the ceasefire. Those only a way to prepare the public opinion everywhere for their new, coming attack. We believe that the Israelis are preparing for their coming attack."
  • Embargoed: 25th December 1981 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Lebanon, Lebanon
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Obituaries
  • Reuters ID: LVA64QS2T68HB7PMBTCUT9Q3XL2A
  • Story Text: INTRODUCTION: The funeral of assassinated Palestinian leader Abdel-Wahab Al-Kayyali was held in Beirut on Tuesday (8 December). Two unidentified gunmen shot Dr. Kayyali during a private visit to Lebanon by the 41-year old member of the Palestine National Council. The assassination took place at the movement's office in predominantly Moslem West-Beirut.

    SYNOPSIS: Troops of the Arab peace-keeping force places a tight security ring around the funeral procession and mourners. Dr. Kayyali was a former member of the Pan-Arab Command of the Baath Party which holds power in Iraq. He lived in London, where he owned a publishing house and was also the owner of a similar business in Beirut.

    Dr. Kayyali had also served as head of the educational and cultural affairs department of the Palestine Liberation Organisation's (PLO) executive committee. In this capacity, he represented the Iraqi-backed Arab Liberation Front commando group. A total of 12 shots were fired by the gunmen, with Dr. Kayyali dying instantly in the hail of bullets.

    PLO leader Yasser Arafat was amongst senior members of Palestinian and Lebanese leftist officials who took part in the funeral procession. The body was taken to a mosque in West Beirut, with a large crowd in attendance to pay their last respects.

    There were no witnesses to the murder and despite an intensive manhunt, authorities have not found the killers. Dr. Kayyali was believed to have been seated at his desk when the gunmen burst in and riddled the office with small-arms fire. The assassination took place last Monday (7 December) just 24 hours after an explosion wrecked a nearby publishing house belonging to Iranian students. One the same day as the funeral, the deputy-Commander General of the Palestinian Armed Forces Khlil Al Wazir Abu Jihad accused Israel of planning aggression.
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