West Bank Fatah leader Marwan Barghuti, who is facing various counts of murder in an Israeli court, has been moved to a prison in southern Israel and placed in solitary confinement, one of his lawyers said."He was transferred yesterday from Hadarim prison (near Ramla) to Beersheva prison, where is being held in solitary confinement," Khadr Shkeirat told AFP.

"This prison has a reputation for harsh detention conditions. There are 1,500 prisoners there and among them 1,450 criminals. We feel his life, as a political prisoner, is threatened," he said.

Barghuti, seen by many as the inspiration behind the Palestinian uprising and as a possible successor to Yasser Arafat, was arrested by the Israeli army in April 2002 and was brought in front of an Israeli court for the first time in September.

The Israeli prosecution accuses him of murdering 26 Israelis and "heading a terror organisation" but his appearances in the Tel Aviv district court have so far focused on legal technicalities and no evidence has yet been produced against him.

"The transfer has no justification. I think the Israeli authorities are toughening their stance because they are afraid Marwan is communicating with is people and they want to break his morale," Shkeirat said.

PHOTO CAPTION

Barghuti during his trial