Border policemen arrested Khaled Shwish, 36, in El Bireh, near Ramallah yesterday. Shwish is one of the founders of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades and is considered responsible for the deaths of eight Israelis.

A special unit of the Border Police carried out a covert operation yesterday and managed to capture Shwish, who was armed with a pistol.

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Security forces consider Shwish one of the leaders of the organization in the West Bank.

He receives a special stipend from the Palestinian Authority, including a military rank, and a vehicle.

Shwish was responsible for the activities of the members of Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades in Ramallah, and coordinated activities with other commanders in the organization, including Zacharias Zbeidi in Jenin.

He is also believed to have been involved in an attack that killed Benjamin and Talya Kahana, in December 2000. The couple died and their five children were injured.

In 2001 Shwish was seriously injured in fighting with IDF troops, and was severely handicapped.

Israeli security forces have avoided arresting Shwish in the past because he spend most of his time in the Muqata, the PA chairman's compound in Ramallah.