Defiant intifada leader proclaims innocence at Israeli murder trial

Israel began its first civilian trial of a leader of the Palestinian intifada yesterday, taking to court Marwan Barghouti, head of Fatah in the West Bank, to face charges including murder.

Evidently undaunted by four months in prison and lengthy interrogations, the 43-year-old used the hearing to send a defiant message to the world: that he is a man of peace and that the intifada will ultimately triumph.

So eager was he to get his point across that he was twice removed from the Tel Aviv courtroom by guards after launching into speeches in Arabic, Hebrew and English proclaiming his innocence and blaming the Israeli occupation for the violence of the past 23 months. Eyes blazing, Mr Barghouti eventually achieved his goal by holding his handcuffed wrists aloft before the TV cameras and shouting: "Peace will be achieved by the end of the occupation. No peace, no security with the occupation."

During the 20-minute hearing, Mr Barghouti, the secretary general of Fatah in the West Bank and a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, was indicted on charges including murder, incitement to murder, attempted murder, conspiracy and membership of a terrorist organisation. He was accused of being linked to 37 attacks, in which 26 people were killed.

An Israeli prosecutor said the charges would be substantiated by the testimony of two field commanders of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, Nasser Awais and Nasser Abu Hmeid. Mr Barghouti, who has professed his innocence, was not asked to enter a formal plea. He has said he does not recognise the jurisdiction of the Israeli court, although this has not prevented him from preparing a list of charges he wants to bring against Israel.

The case is also a clear attempt by Israel to present the Palestinian leadership, particularly Yasser Arafat, as sponsors of terror attacks.

Legal analysts say the case could backfire against Israel because Mr Barghouti's Palestinian lawyers could use the media spotlight to present their client as the victim of a politically motivated attempt to discredit the Palestinian Authority. The hearing resumes on 5 September.