Scores of masked Palestinian militants dragged former security chief Moussa Arafat from his Gaza home and shot him dead in the street yesterday after battling his guards for more than half an hour.

He was the most senior figure killed in factional violence that has stirred doubt about whether security forces can keep order in the territory, seen as a proving ground for Palestinian statehood once Israelis leave.

Major-General Arafat, a cousin of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, was a Gaza strongman kept as an adviser by President Mahmoud Abbas after being fired as head of military intelligence in an anti-corruption crackdown in April.

Gunmen fired rifles and anti-tank grenades at Mr Arafat's guards. The militants shot him dead close to a headquarters of the security forces in Gaza City. Mr Arafat's son, Manhal, who is in his 30s, was abducted by the gunmen.

A militant coalition, the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC), claimed responsibility for what it called the "liquidation" of Mr Arafat and the snatching of his son.

"We have executed the will of God and the rule of law because he killed people, ordered assaults on fighters and he had a big file of corruption," PRC spokesman Abu Abir said of Mr Arafat, a powerful security boss in Gaza for years.

He said Mr Arafat's son was being questioned by his captors but did not say what the PRC would do with him.

In a statement, Mr Abbas said no effort would be spared to arrest Mr Arafat's killers and free his son. "This assassination will not undermine our efforts to impose law and public order."