Palestinian bomb investigation getting nowhere

From SF Gate website comes this story of our friends, the palestinian Arabs, and their efforts to investigate a deadly terrorist bombing: bq. The Palestinian investigation of a bombing that killed three security guards in a U.S. convoy in Gaza is increasingly testing the patience of U.S. diplomats. bq. After months of seemingly getting nowhere, investigators suddenly produced four suspects this weekend in what critics say is a crude attempt by Yasser Arafat to deflect growing pressure. bq. The charges against the four are vague -- manslaughter for planting bombs aimed at Israeli tanks that might have hit the convoy by mistake -- and the arrests have been widely met with scorn. bq. A senior Palestinian security official who declined to be named said Tuesday he does not believe the accused are the culprits. The real perpetrators could be linked to Arafat's own Fatah organization, or even to the Palestinian security forces, he said, but offered no evidence. And more: bq. "There is some suspicion I've heard by American officials that Arafat is dragging his feet on the investigation because the people who did it may get too close to Fatah," he told The Associated Press. And more: bq. It was the first attack on a U.S. target in more than three years of Israeli-Palestinian fighting. American officials responded with threats to cut back aid and diplomatic travel to the Palestinian areas until the bombers are caught. And more: bq. "We believe those on trial are not the real perpetrators," the official said. And more: bq. The suspects are not being charged with direct responsibility for the deaths, Boucher said. Instead, he said, the case is being made that "somehow it happened by accident in connection with planting bombs." bq. Reporters at the scene of the attack saw detonation wires leading to a small structure that offered the bombers a clear view, apparently ruling out mistaken identity. The Chevrolet Suburbans are unique to U.S. convoys. Arafat knows everything that goes on with his people -- this is how he has held onto the power despite all of his corruption and murder. There is no way that they could not know who did this. I love the comment about the case is being made that "somehow it happened by accident in connection with planting bombs." Arrrgghhh... As if the bombs were something that needed to be planted like a petunia or such...