The new compound, which was obtainable from cheap raw materials and in good yields, soon became an important industrial abrasive.
The assault faltered after resistance at the compound, which was reinforced by fighters at a neighbouring training camp who heard the helicopters.
They note that there was never any allegation that the Hijos harbored gunmen in their modest compound, which was in effect under 24-hour surveillance.
Two other priests then living in the mission compound, which was in the Nobori-cho section — Father Superior LaSalle and Father Schiffer — had happily escaped this affliction.
Inside the compound, which was not staffed, the crowd seized documents, including surveillance files for individual Egyptians and records of operations against dissidents and opposition groups.
Much of the building was vacated after Sept. 11 and many workers moved to a new embassy building, in the center of the compound, which was recently completed after almost 15 years of construction.
"It further found in the course of the investigation (including from the affidavits provided by Palestinian witnesses), that the compound was known to the residents of the Gaza Strip as a compound which was used exclusively by Hamas's Naval Police.
By midyear, more than 10,000 people will be working at the 65-acre walled compound, which was acquired by the Navy in 1799 and is its oldest installation ashore.
The museum is located in the former Peenemünde power plant, one of the few extant buildings of the huge compound, which was bombed by the Allies in 1943 and destroyed by the Soviets after the war.
If the plan is finally worked out, the siege at Mr. Arafat's compound, which was tightened with the Israeli offensive that began on March 29, will end on Wednesday, at the earliest.
Reports suggest the scheme was not successful though others say that he was able to obtain a phone number for a resident of the compound which was then passed to the CIA and proved to be of vital importance.
