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Palestinian fugitive dies at embassy in Bulgaria Palestinian fugitive in mystery death at embassy in Bulgaria
(about 4 hours later)
SOFIA, Bulgaria — Bulgarian authorities are investigating the unexplained death on Friday of a Palestinian man wanted by Israel for a 1986 killing. His death at the Palestinian Authority’s embassy in Sofia was described by the ambassador as murder. SOFIA, Bulgaria — A Palestinian militant wanted for a 1986 killing in Israel plunged to his death Friday from the Palestinian Embassy in Bulgaria, where he had been holed up for two months to avoid extradition, officials said.
The embassy identified the dead man as Omar Nayef Zayed, who took refuge in the embassy late last year fearing extradition to Israel. Palestinians immediately accused Israel of killing Omar Nayef Zayed, 52. Israel denied involvement and Bulgarian authorities said they had yet to determine whether he fell, jumped or was pushed from the building.
The Bulgarian prosecutor’s office said it was told by the embassy Friday morning of a death resulting from violence on the territory of the embassy. The Palestinian ambassador granted access to the investigators, it said, adding that the cause of death has not been established yet. Zayed was alive Friday morning when an embassy staffer found him behind the four-story building, but he died before paramedics could take him to a hospital, Bulgarian Prosecutor General Sotir Tsatsarov said.
Bulgarian Prosecutor General Sotir Tsatsarov said the body was found outside the embassy by a Palestinian embassy staffer as he parked his car. Zayed was still alive when an ambulance arrived, and there were no gunshot wounds. He died at the scene before paramedics were able to take him to a hospital. Video footage of the site afterward showed a pool of blood near the embassy, located in a leafy, quiet neighborhood of Sofia.
Palestinian Ambassador Ahmed al-Madbuh told reporters Friday that the death was murder and said it was “a result of the continuing persecution by Israel.” The Palestinian militant group PFLP initially said Zayed had been shot, but Palestinian Ambassador Ahmed al-Madbuh did not repeat those claims and Bulgarian officials insisted there were no gunshot wounds.
“Omar is one of the Palestinian fighters who led the struggle against the occupation and fulfilled his duty to his land and his people,” al-Madbuh said. Al-Madbuh called Zayed’s death a murder, blaming “continuing persecution by Israel.”
Israeli Foreign Ministry Spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon declined to comment, saying “this is not an Israeli issue.” Israeli Foreign Ministry Spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said “this is not an Israeli issue” but would not comment further.
The death came hours after Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borisov returned from a visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority where he discussed the extradition of Zayed with the Israeli prime minister and senior Palestinian officials. Adding to the mystery, the death came hours after Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borisov returned from a visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority, where he discussed a 2015 Israeli extradition request for Zayed with both the Israeli prime minister and senior Palestinian officials.
“I told all sides that our prosecution had received a request for extradition and now a court was to decide whether he will be extradited or not,” Borisov told Parliament Friday.“I told all sides that our prosecution had received a request for extradition and now a court was to decide whether he will be extradited or not,” Borisov told Parliament Friday.
Zayed, 52, escaped from Israeli custody 25 years ago and has lived in Sofia since 1994. He was convicted of the murder of an Israeli man in Jerusalem’s Old City and given a life sentence. Bulgarian authorities called on Zayed to surrender after Israel made the extradition request, but he refused and sought refuge at the embassy.
The official Palestinian news agency WAFA said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has ordered an investigation committee to go to Bulgaria immediately and probe the circumstances of the death. Al-Madbuh said the embassy demanded security guarantees several times, but Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry did not act. He said Bulgaria withdrew security guards seven years ago because there had been no attacks on the embassy for 20 years. Bulgarians did not immediately respond to those allegations.
The Palestinian militant group PFLP said Zayed was a member of their organization, who together with his brother and another Palestinian had stabbed an Israeli to death in 1986 and had received life sentence. PFLP, the militant group, said Zayed was a member who, together with his brother and another Palestinian, stabbed a Jewish student to death in Jerusalem’s Old City 1986. They received life sentences.
In 1990, Zayed was hospitalized in Bethlehem following a hunger strike, and later escaped from the hospital, moving to several Arab countries before settling in Bulgaria. In 1990, Zayed was hospitalized in Bethlehem following a hunger strike, and later escaped from the hospital, moving to several Arab countries before settling in Bulgaria. He had lived in Sofia since 1994 and had a Palestinian wife and three children.
Israel asked the Bulgarian justice minister in 2015 to extradite him and Bulgarian authorities called on him to surrender. He refused and sought refuge in the Palestinian Authority’s embassy in Sofia. His brother, Ahmed Zayed, and the other Palestinian were part of a lopsided prisoner swap in 2011 in which more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners were exchanged for an Israeli soldier, Gilad Schalit, who had been held by Hamas-allied militants in Gaza for five years.
His brother, Ahmed Zayed, and the other Palestinian were part of a lopsided prisoner swap in 2011 where over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, many involved in deadly attacks on civilians and security forces, were exchanged for an Israeli soldier, Gilad Schalit, who had been held by Hamas-allied militants in Gaza for five years. It wouldn’t be the first time the Mideast conflict has played out on Bulgarian soil. In 2012 a suicide bomber set off an explosion on a bus with Israeli tourists at the beach resort of Burgas. Five Israelis and their Bulgarian driver were killed, and 32 other Israelis were injured. Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group, was believed to be behind the attack.
Ambassador al-Madbuh said his embassy had demanded security guarantees several times, but Bulgaria’s foreign ministry had not acted. ___
Bulgaria withdrew security guards from the embassy seven years ago on the grounds that there had been no attacks on the embassy for 20 years, the ambassador said Deitch reported from Jerusalem. Vanessa Gera in Warsaw, Poland and Alison Mutler in Bucharest, Romania, contributed to this report.
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Ian Deitch reported from Jerusalem. Alison Mutler in Bucharest, Romania, contributed to this report.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.