Qalqiliya – Ma’an – The Israeli military court in Salem sentenced a Palestinian man to nine years in prison on Monday nine on the charge of leading q group of fighters in opposition to occupying forces.

Yousef Abdel Rahman Shtewi was accused of leading members of Fatah’s armed wing, the Al-Aqa Brigades, in the West Bank city of Qalqiliya.

Local sources said Shtewi was detained by Israeli soldiers during a raid on his house on 23 February 2007. He is being held at Israel’s military prison in Meggido.