JERUSALEM (JTA) — The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that it assassinated a senior Palestinian terrorist in the Gaza Strip.
Muhammad Namnam, 25, was killed Wednesday when his car exploded outside police headquarters in Gaza City.
Several hours after the explosion, the IDF admitted that it killed Namnam in a joint operation with the Shin Bet security service. The car he was driving reportedly arrived recently in Gaza from Israel as part of the relaxation of the blockade against the Hamas-run strip.
Namnam was a senior field commander of the Army of Islam terrorist organization, which is connected with al-Qaida, according to the IDF.
The IDF said Namnam was "personally involved" in directing several terror attacks against Israeli targets in recent years and was involved recently in directing a terror attack against American and Israeli targets in the Sinai Peninsula in cooperation with Hamas elements in Gaza.
The Army of Islam kidnapped BBC correspondent Alan Johnson in March 2007, releasing him four months later.
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