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Gaza authorities confirm identity of suspect in Arrigoni murder

February 20, 2014 at 3:32 pm

The Palestinian police in Gaza have revealed that one of the suspects in the murder of the Italian activist Vittorio Arrigoni is a Jordanian national. The Hamas-run authorities in Gaza published the man’s picture along with the pictures of two other suspects who are believed to have abducted and killed Arrigoni. The three suspects are described as “very dangerous”.


Arrigoni’s body was found on 15 April in an abandoned house in the north of the Gaza Strip, hours after his abduction at the hands of a Salafi group. He was pictured blindfolded in a video, with his kidnappers demanding the release of the groups’ members who are imprisoned by the Palestinian government in Gaza.

According to Gaza’s police the suspects are: “Abdel Rahman El Breizat, who is also known as Mohamed Hassan; he is a Jordanian national; Belal El Omary; and Mahmoud Mohamed El Selfity.” All are among the most dangerous wanted figures in Gaza, and are accused of kidnapping and killing Arrigoni.

Ayman El Batnigy, the spokesperson for the Palestinian police in Gaza, announced that “a financial reward will be given to the officers and individuals who will assist in arresting the murderers of the Italian activist Vittorio Arrigoni.”

Mr El Batnigy also confirmed that this is the first time that the police have offered a reward for information leading to the arrest of suspects. It is, he added, a motivational strategy for police and public alike.