Ramallah: Scores of Palestinian police on Thursday raided the Ramallah home of former Gaza security chief Mohammad Dahlan who is under investigation for murder and corruption.
Witnesses in Ramallah's Al Tirah neighbourhood said a large number of police and security forces had surrounded his home at 7am (0500 GMT) before forcing their way in and seizing his assets.
They were seen removing weapons, files and computers from his house, as well as the former internal security minister's two bullet-proof cars.
General Adnan Al Damiri, the official Spokesman for the Palestinian Security Apparatus, said on Thursday that its forces seized large quantities of automatic riffles and ammunition from guards and escorts of the ex-Fatah strongman Mohammad Dahlan in Al Tira neighborhood of Ramallah.
Addressing a press conference held at the Palestinian Ministry of Interior in Al Beirah of Ramallah, General Al Damiri said that the Palestinian security apparatus never raided the home of the member of the Palestinian Legislative Council Dahlan, who enjoys parliamentary immunity, but targeted the security kiosk in front of the house and a surrounding area.
"The security apparatus seized many riffles, and more than 10,000 bullets and huge ammunition from tens of guards of Dahlan in the area surrounding Dahlan’s home, but never raided it," he said General Al Damiri said that the Palestinian security apparatus traced armed movement in the area where Dahlan lives in Ramallah.
"During the operation the Palestinian security apparatus was shocked with the size of the arms and ammunition possessed by tens of private security guards appointed by Dahlan," he said.
He stressed that prior to the security operation, the Palestinian security officials approached Dahlan, briefed him on the security operation and presented him the public prosecution’s official permission.
“Dahlan was told that he as parliamentary member and his own home will not be touched and informed him about the search operation around his home,” he said.
General Al Damiri said that Dahlan enjoyed his full parliamentary immunity although Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has the power to remove Dahlan’s immunity due to the dysfunctional Palestinian Legislative Council.
He said that Dahlan was instructed to hand in two bullet-proof cars which were in his possession. The initial findings show that the seized arms and ammunition were not registered with the arms section of the Palestinian security apparatus, adding that the guards who possessed the arms and ammunition and worked as security guards for Dahlan were arrested and are currently under investigation.
