The 13 Palestinians whose exile to Cyprus helped end the five-week stand-off at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem are on Israel's most-wanted list.

At the head of the list is Ibrahim Abayat, who is said to be the Bethlehem commander of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, a militant group linked to Mr Arafat's Fatah organisation. The organisation has organised suicide attacks that sparked Israel's recent invasion of the West Bank.

Mr Abayat is accused of a string of bombing and shooting attacks.

He is also said to be one of the leaders of a large and violent family, whose members have been linked by Israel to several attacks.

Another member of the Abayat clan is Ibrahim Musa Abayat. He is said to be a leader of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade.

The Israeli army says he was involved in the killing of three Israelis and in the firing of mortars at the neighbourhood of Gilo in southern Jerusalem since the current Palestinian intifada began in September 2000.

Israel regards Gilo - which is built on land occupied by Israel after 1967 - as a neighbourhood of Jerusalem.

Abdullah Daoud is Mr Arafat's Bethlehem intelligence chief. He is accused by Israel of arms smuggling and aiding and protecting terror suspects.

In an interview on his mobile phone from the Church of the Nativity, Mr Daoud said he planned to continue his political studies in whatever country he ended up in.

The other suspects named by the army are:

Mohammed Said Salem , who is said to be a member of an armed group in Mr Arafat's Fatah faction. He is believed to have planned two suicide bombings in Jerusalem in March which killed 12 Israelis including a baby.

Nidal Abu Galif is suspected of making bombs and helping organise the same two suicide bombings as Mohammed Said Salem. He is also suspected of firing at the Jewish settlement of Gilo, and at Israeli cars.

Basem Hamud is said to be a member of the militant Islamic Hamas group. He is suspected by Israel of preparing bombs and dispatching two suicide bombers who were intercepted by police before they could reach their target near Jerusalem's main bus station.

Aziz Jubran is said to be an explosives expert alleged to be behind the dispatch of suicide bombers into Israel.

The 31-year-old is said to be a member of Hamas and is suspected of involvement in planning the attack with Basem Hamud. The attack was foiled when a policeman stopped the van. The policeman was killed when the bombers detonated their explosives.

Ismail Hamdan is said to be a member of an armed Fatah cell. He is suspected of being involved in the killing of three Israelis, including one who held American citizenship.

Abdallah Al-Khader is suspected by Israel of planning militant attacks, harbouring militants and smuggling weapons.

Jihad Jaara is said to be a member of the Palestinian security forces and an armed group in Fatah. He is suspected of being behind shooting attacks against Israelis in the Bethlehem area.

Kamel Hamid is suspected by Israel of financing militants.