Dahlan's denial came after gunfire erupted at a mourning tent in Gaza, where Abbas just arrived to receive condolences for the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat who died Thursday.The Qatar-based al-Jazeera TV reported that it was anassassination attempt on Abbas' life.

Al-Jazeera quoted eyewitnesses as saying that just a few minutes after Abbas arrived at the tent, about 30 militants burst into thetent and began shooting at Abbas while chanting slogans supporting Arafat.

The slogans accused Abbas of not following the same strategy adopted by late Arafat, said al-Jazeera.

After the shooting incident, Abbas' bodyguards escorted him outof the tent to the Palestinian headquarters.

Yasser Abed Rabbo, member of PLO executive committee, echoed Dahlan's view by saying that what happened in Gaza was not aplanned assassination attempt, and the chaos were caused by the overcrowdedness in the tent.

Hundreds of mourners were inside the tent at that time,including militants, police, security forces and representatives of various Palestinian groups and factions, including the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and the Islamic Jihad (Holy War).Two were killed in the shooting and at least 10 others wounded. Abbas, arrived in Gaza late Sunday for dialogue with Palestinian factions.

Official Palestinian sources said that a joint meeting of PLO executive committee and the mainstream Fatah movement's central committee earlier on Sunday nominated Abbas as its candidate to run for the presidential elections slated for Jan. 9, 2005.