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Palestinian intelligence chief wounded in blast

GAZA CITY: The Palestinian intelligence chief, an ally of moderate President Mahmoud Abbas, was seriously wounded in a bomb blast at his headquarters on Saturday in what security officials called an assassination attempt.

There was no claim of responsibility, but the explosion in an elevator shaft of the heavily guarded compound came at a time of growing friction between Mr. Abbas and the Islamic militant Hamas Government over control of the security forces. Recent clashes between rival groups of gunmen have raised tensions in Gaza considerably.

The intelligence chief, Tareq Abu Rajab, who survived an assassination attempt two years ago, is a top official in Mr. Abbas' Fatah movement. Fatah did not openly accuse Hamas of being behind the blast, but some Fatah members demanded that Mr. Abbas dissolve the Hamas Government and call early elections.

Mr. Abbas called the blast ``unfortunate'' and said it poses a ``grave danger'' to the Palestinian Authority.

The blast went off before noon on Saturday at the intelligence headquarters in northern Gaza City.

Mr. Abu Rajab and six aides and bodyguards got into an elevator and were close to the second floor when the blast went off. A bodyguard was killed immediately, and Mr. Abu Rajab and five others in the elevator were seriously wounded. — AP

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