Posted on 09/17/2002 1:03:13 PM PDT by knighthawk
A member of a Muslim extremist group wanted by Lebanese authorities for theft and other charges was found dead Tuesday in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ein el-Hilweh, Lebanese and Palestinian officials said.
According to AP, the officials said that Yasser Sheikho, 25, a Syrian Kurd, was hit by one bullet in the head and left on a street at the center of the Ein el-Hilweh camp on the outskirts of this southern city. Bruises on his body indicated he was tortured before being killed, the officials added.
Palestinian officials said Sheikho was a member of the radical al-Nour group, a breakaway of the militant Usbat al-Ansar group, which is linked to Usama bin Laden's al Qaeda network.
Lebanese and Palestinian officials said it was not clear who was behind the killing of Sheikho. Some Palestinian officials said it may have been part of an attempt to clean up the violent camp.
Sheikho was wanted by Lebanese authorities on several charges of theft, planting bombs at liquor stores and harboring a Lebanese man, Badieh Hamadeh, who was charged with killing three Lebanese soldiers on July 11.
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