Editing Palestinian Liberation Front (section)

===Developments since 2000===
In November 2001, 15 members of a PLF cell were arrested by Israeli authorities. Some of these prisoners had received terrorist training in Iraq. The cell had planned attacks in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Ben Gurion Airport. In addition, it had already been involved in other terrorist activities, including the kidnapping and murder of the Israeli teenager Yuri Gushstein.<ref name="CDI" />

During the US-led [[Iraq War]], Abu Abbas was captured by US special forces in April 2003 after intelligence tips in a suburb of the Iraqi capital Baghdad. He may have tried to escape to Syria. Some of his associates had also been arrested in Baghdad. The US State Department had previously indicated that the Iraqi regime had supported the PLF.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/abu-abbas-us-kommando-fasst-terrorchef-im-irak-a-244982.html |title=US-Kommando fasst Terrorchef im Irak |website=Spiegel Online |date=2003-04-16 |access-date=2016-02-18}}</ref> The Palestinian government demanded the release of Abu Abbas. The reason for this demand was that his arrest violated the 1995 Middle East Agreement. This stipulates that acts committed before the 1993 Oslo Peace Agreement may not lead to prosecution.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/terrorchef-abbas-gefasst-palaestinenser-fordern-freilassung-a-245028.html |title=Terrorchef Abbas gefasst: Palestinians demand release |website=Spiegel Online |date=2003-04-16 |access-date=2016-02-18}}</ref>

According to reports, Abu Abbas died in US captivity on 9 March 2004. Initial reports indicated a natural cause of death.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://library.nps.navy.mil/home/tgp/plf.htm |title=Palestine Liberation Front (PLF) |website=United States Department of State |date=April 2001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020817044324/http://library.nps.navy.mil/home/tgp/plf.htm |archive-date=2002-08-17 |access-date=2016-02-17}}</ref> Various Palestinian groups and his widow, however, spoke of murder.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/toter-abu-abbas-palaestinenser-geben-usa-die-schuld-a-289942.html |title=Toter Abu Abbas: Palästinenser geben USA die Schuld |language=de |website=Spiegel Online |date=2004-03-10 |access-date=2016-02-17}}</ref> Abu Abbas was allegedly the mastermind behind the Achille Lauro kidnapping.<ref name="Achille Lau ro">{{cite web |url=http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/achille-lauro-entfuehrung-drahtzieher-abbas-stirbt-in-gefangenschaft-a-289827.html |title='Achille Lauro"-Entführung: Drahtzieher Abbas stirbt in Gefangenschaft |website=Spiegel Online |date=2004-03-10 |access-date=2016-02-17}}</ref> The Palestinian Liberation Front participated in the Palestinian Authority elections under the name ‘Martyr Abu Abbas’, but did not win a seat.