Freed Palestinian inmate remains militant

JERUSALEM, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- A former Palestinian inmate released in exchange for a videotape of abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit called for the kidnapping of more Israeli soldiers.

Rawda Habib, who was arrested 2 1/2 years ago, was returned to her home in the Gaza Strip Sunday, the Palestinian news agency Maan said.

Habib, who acted on behalf of the Islamic Jihad, planned to carry out a suicide bombing in Israel, the Yedioth Aharonoth newspaper reported.

At a news conference organized on her behalf in Gaza, Habib called on the Palestinian resistance groups to kidnap more Israeli soldiers, saying it was the only way to achieve the release of all Palestinian prisoners held in Israel, the newspaper said.

Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman expressed optimism a deal to secure Shalit's release could be obtained within two or three months, the newspaper said.

"Never have we been so close to a deal," Yedioth Aharonoth quoted him as saying.

Last week, Israel agreed to release 20 female Palestinian prisoners in exchange for a nearly 2 3/4-minute recording of Shalit, who has been held captive in Gaza for more than three years.

The female prisoners were released to the West Bank Friday, and Habib was released to Gaza Sunday.

The videotape showed Shalit dressed in dark olive green fatigues, holding a local newspaper published on Sept. 14. Shalit identified himself, and spoke of how much he missed his family and that he hoped the present government led by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu would act quickly to secure his release.

Shalit was captured in a cross border raid while on operational duty near the Gaza Strip in June 2006.