Man, it sucks to be a Hamas official in Syria or Lebanon. They can be assassinated and no one will even notice.
(Ynet) The mystery surrounding the assassination of Hamas official Kamal Ranaja in Damascus on Wednesday has yet to be resolved, but media outlets released new details Thursday shedding light on the life of the man who replaced Mahmoud al-Mabhouh and was claimed to be a key player in the organization's military wing.
According to reports, between 12 and 24 hours passed before Ranaja's body was discovered. Several eyewitnesses have reported that the house was torched by the assassins, but neighbors claim only the kitchen and entrance were set on fire.
The house in which Ranaja was assassinated belonged to his family, and neighbors said that he did not frequent it often.
An Arab news agency quoted a senior Hamas operative as saying that Ranaja survived several attempts on his life in Damascus and Beirut due to the extreme security measures that he took. According to the official, Ranaja had deep connections with Syria's security apparatus, as well as with Hezbollah and authorities in Iran.
A delegation of Hamas officials headed by Politburo Chief Khaled Mashaal arrived Thursday afternoon in Jordan in order to attend Ranaja's funeral. The high profile event strengthens the claim that Ranaja held a high position in the terror organization.
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