GOVERNMENT and opposition figures in Israel have welcomed the assassination in Gaza yesterday of the leading Hamas bomb maker, Yihyah Ayash.
The Israeli Internal Security Minister, Mr Moshe Shahal, put police on alert for a reprisal from the militant Islamic group. He declined to comment on reports of Israel's responsibility but said he knew of Ayash's killing before the Israeli media broke the news.
Israeli security officials said the loss of Ayash was a blow to Islamic bombers but would not stop them.
Ham as has vowed to avenge the death and has told the Jewish state to await its retaliation.
In a statement, Hamas accused the Palestinian Authority of the PLO chairman, Mr Yasser Arafat, of being an accomplice to the killing but insisted its attacks would be directed only at Israel.
Known as the "Engineer", the elusive mastermind behind a wave of Islamic suicide bombings against Israelis was killed in Gaza, apparently by a booby trapped cellular telephone, a senior Palestinian source said. Israeli ministers and the military wing of Ham as confirmed Ayash was killed north of Gaza city but gave few details of his death.
A senior Palestinian security source said initial reports showed Ayash died instantly when his cellular telephone packed with some 50 grammes of explosives blew up. Police had the body, the source said.
The Qassam Brigades of Hamas issued a leaflet accusing Israel of assassinating Ayash. It vowed to retaliate against the "Israeli security apparatus" for "this cowardly act which hasn't taken into consideration the consequences".
The killing, in PLO controlled territory, is likely to embarrass Mr Arafat, who had put pressure on Ham as to suspend attacks while Israel extended Palestinian self rule from Gaza to the West Bank.
Israeli ministers did little to dampen speculation that Israel had a hand in the killing of Ayash, its most wanted enemy. Ayash was the brain behind a wave of bombings, mainly by Hamas, which killed some 77 Israelis and foreigners since the 1993 Israeli PLO peace accord.
He was spoken of by some relatives as a mythical figure under divine protection for his ability to elude Israeli soldiers over the past four years. He earned the nickname of the man with seven souls.
Meanwhile, several hours after Ayash's death was announced, the Israeli army closed off PLO ruled areas in the West Bank to Israelis, an Israeli army spokeswoman said. She said the decision was taken for security reasons.