Three Assassinated PLO Members Are Buried in Tunisia

TUNIS, Tunisia —  The Palestine Liberation Organization’s No. 2 leader, Abu Iyad, and two other prominent Palestinians assassinated with him were buried south of the Tunisian capital Thursday, Palestinian sources said.

PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat led the mourners in the town of Hammam Chott, 10 miles south of Tunis, the sources said.

The PLO maintained its headquarters in Hammam Chott before an Israeli bombing attack on the complex on Oct. 1, 1985.

Iyad, 57, who served as Arafat’s deputy, was shot to death Monday night by a bodyguard. Also killed were PLO security chief Abu Hol and an aide, Abu Mohammed Omri. The PLO has blamed Israel for the killings, but Tel Aviv has denied any connection.

Originally, the three men were to be buried in Amman, Jordan, but all flights to the Jordanian capital were canceled by the outbreak of the Persian Gulf war.