JENIN (Ma'an) -- Corrupt officers are responsible for the security chaos in Jenin, the district's commander said Monday.

Radi Asida told Ma'an that authorities had overlooked the corruption "for some time," leading to the current state of lawlessness.

Jenin Governor Qaddura Musa died of a heart attack on Wednesday brought on by a shooting attack on his home, PA officials said.

On Sunday, Asida told Ma'an that a number of PA security officers had been arrested on various charges as part of a crackdown on the city in the wake of the shooting attack.

Asida said the crackdown was not new, but that it took the governor's death to secure the orders needed for the arrests.

"Unfortunately we paid a high price until the orders to handle this phenomenon were issued," he said.

Security forces have arrested outlaws and groups of suspects related to the shooting attack, he said. "We will also detain anyone suspected of arms trading or possession."

The security commander demanded the support of PA leadership to prosecute all those who threaten security.

Newly-appointed Jenin governor Talal Dweikat told Ma'an the Palestinian Authority would fight security chaos "whoever the source is."

Jenin became known as a center for Palestinian fighters during the second intifada, with many militant groups launching attacks on Israeli targets from the Jenin refugee camp.

On April 15, a man was killed in shoot-out with Palestinian security forces in Jenin town Bir al-Basha raising tensions in the area.