argues CHRIS O'BRIEN.
Although the PLO's public statements on the killing have it is clear that the leadership is DOTO TOIS TE TRIERIE routine demunciation of the ANISANTE AS LOCOK CI "Zionism and Imperialism'. It has joined the bulk of the press pinning Nidal the Iraqi-backed PLO rebel. His motive is unclear.
The Owardien suggests that thekilling was meant to obstruct a Syrian-Iraqi rapprochement, but if it has any effect it is likely to be the opposite one of hardening PLO and Syrian opinion against Egypt. the Nidal theory is based upon wing of the General Union of is overwhelmingly pro-lrag. The crisis of the Palestine Liberation Organisation has exploded in the most dramatic way since the Sadat-Begin diplomatie initiative. At least that is the most likely explanation for the killing of PLO representative Said Hammami in London last week, which is not the case. The left GUPS is meant to have been Nidal's recruiting ground.
If it were capable of a little TUTINCT which il ist't leadership might come up with the conclusion that it bad to take share responsibility, increasingly likely that the Palestinans who rejected he KIlInE was carried out to the Sadat initiative... or by people Noda. This does not rile our Aiso HOSTILE After his initially hostile response to Sadar's Jerusalem trip, PLO leader Yasser Arafat has instructed PLO representa Wing the PLO from attacks by both Begin and Carter. This Boes not mean PLO support or the Egyptian plar Iroin 1this Syrian keeping their options since the possibility 'rejectionist"
Traqis looks unlikely, if only because of traditional hostility between the Baathist regimes in Irag and Syria. the PLO the for it scems SAID HAMMAMI The the only and the solution.
deaths far ut that Arafat anc protectors are Year's Eve It has of a front with the nothing the otbers.
Nidal theory Essumotion thal SUNALLA MIAL CAL when the where they In other words the whale affair is a maze. and scepticisen way to deal with avone who clas to kada Things are coniplicated still furtber by the of Swadey Times journalist David Holdes in Cairo and two Syrian embassy officiais in London on New Sheen suspected for Par British intelligence ne British intelligence which hardly gets us any scarer a solution. Anyway, It is ouly supposition that uoks this to the Hammami killine, and CONCILE LOR nects the Syrian killings 1o it botb ways variant of the Abu QUESTION Observer-style) works on the the two So the Syrians were killed in the course of Traqi-Syrian rivalry.
However, forensic evidence murdered but killed by thei own bomb. The bomb did not explode when the car door was opened ur when it started, but vehicle was motion. The bomb was on the sent between the two Iten not bave casebook. missed it, and the discovery of fingers some 100 yards from the explosion suggests that they were handling the bomb when it went off. The police theory is that they were trying to fix the detonator.
None of this is conclusive, of course, but it does raise sons interesting questions. The official version that the Syrians were bff to bomb an Egyptian office on behalf of their own government is unconvincing. caniculariy since the police also choose to accept the theory that the Hammami killing was a response to che soft line of the PLO and Syria towards Egypt. You can't have question remains: who were these two chibass employees really working for! Were the real culprits out to sow the maximum confusion among the Arabs? Or are the three killings unconnected? lt is unlikely that there will ever be a clear answer, since polic und press will be happy te settle for a politically suitable conclusion. just to close their The one theory they are not interested in is chat it could be the Mossad, the Israeli secret police, LECOLE confusion. Or another regime in the arca operating for reasons we could not hope to fathom? Even if they find the finger that puiled the trigger oo Hammami they will pot hav found the murderer, since al the relevant organisations are so infiltrated and duplicit.
INFILTRATION Flect Street will continue to remain puzzled at the petty squabbles of these strange Arabs. But there is nothing obscure about these disputes For if the PLO had maintained ourgeDis Arab regimes i NOUE MUL DOTE DEUIL MEUS footed by Sadar's decision le take Arab ruing class policy to its logical conclusion, and it would not have laid itself open infiltration confusion which makes thi case so impectrable.
If the PLO leadership had offered an alternative strategs hased on no compromise with the Zionist STRIC ATO albances with the Arah masses the events of the past week might never have happened,