Palestinian Authority raids refugee camps in security sweep

RAMALLAH, West Bank, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- Palestinian Authority security forces have been carrying out a series of raids in refugee camps in the Jenin area aimed at extremist groups, officials said.

The sweep began Wednesday, the Israeli news agency Ynetnews reported Saturday.

The targets include Bassam Saadi, a leader of Islamic Jihad who was freed from an Israeli prison a few months ago.

The authority has released few details about the operation, including the number of arrests and whether Saadi was detained, Ynet said. There have been reports of at least one incident of shots fired and another in which a homemade explosive was tossed at security forces, but no one was reported injured in either case.

Israeli forces have made a number of arrests in Palestinian camps in recent months. Israel is believed to be using the arrests to warn Palestinian officials that they must prevent terrorist activity in the West Bank.