Muhi A-Din Sharif, who was responsible for many of the worst attacks perpetrated by Hamas, and considered as the heir to "the engineer" Yihaye Ayash, was shot to death, and his car was then blown up.
Palestinian police sources say that Muhi A-Din Sharif was shot by unknown assailants, who shot him in the chest three times, and then pushed his body into the car and blew it up.
Since the liquidation of Yihaye Ayash, Muhi A-Din Sharif, of Beit Hanina near Jerusalem, was considered to be one of those mainly responsible for the worst attacks against Israel carried out by the military arm of Hamas. Among other attacks, he was responsible for the explosion on the number 26 bus in Jerusalem in ’95, when three people were killed and many more injured.
The identification of Muhi A-Din Sharif’s body was made by Palestinian pathologists.
West Bank Preventative Security Chief Colonel Jibril Rajoub confirmed to reporters from the French news agency that the body of Muhi A-Din Sharif had been identified.
The smashed up body was found on Monday evening near Ramallah. The Palestinian authorities initially believed it was someone who had been killed preparing a car bomb, and so for the next day they reported it as a "work accident" that occurred to a terrorist of Hamas who was about to make a terror attack in Israel.
However, the post-mortem showed the man had been first shot dead before the explosion. Members of his family officially identified the body.
The Palestinian Authority denounced the murder. In an official announcement, the PA claimed that Israel was responsible for liquidating Muhi A-Din Sharif.
"The PA denounces the crime, and sees it a dangerous attempt to damage the security and stability of the Palestinian nation", the announcement stated.
The Hamas movement responded by issuing a warning that the liquidation of Muhi A-Din Sharif will draw acts of retaliation, as occurred following the liquidation of Yihaye Ayash. Hamas described A-Din Sharif as a ‘martyr’.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied any Israeli involvement in A-Din Sharif’s liquidation. Netanyahu stressed Israel had absolutely no part in the incident. He stated he had only received rumors concerning the identity of the man killed.
Former GSS head Yaakov Perry said that Muhi A-Din Sharif was considered a sophisticated terrorist, both in preparing terrorist devices for attacks, and in the way they were transferred.
Published by Israel's Business Arena April 1, 1998