Israel Matzav

Egypt: Hamas harboring wanted Dahab attack plotter

Is there honor among thieves and terrorists? Egypt is accusing Hamas of harboring the planner of the Dahab triple bombing. The terrorist apparently stole his way into the Gaza Strip after the terror attack was carried out.

Aaron Klein of WorldNetDaily.com reports:

Egyptian officials told WND one attack plotter entered the Gaza Strip via the Rafah Crossing, the main Egypt-Gaza checkpoint, and has been provided shelter by Hamas members and leaders of the Popular Resistance Committees, a Gaza-based terror organization.

They said the wanted militant is a relative of Khaled Musaed, who was a Sinai dentist Egyptian security officers say was the Sinai coordinator for al-Qaida-linked groups in the area. Musaed was killed several weeks ago in an Egyptian raid.

The Egyptian officials have requested the Hamas-led Palestinian government arrest and turn over the wanted militant.

Abu Abir, spokesperson for the Popular Resistance Committees, said he was aware of the Egyptian request but denied his group was harboring anyone associated with the Dahab bombings.

"This is propaganda to discredit us and Hamas," Abu Abir told WND.

Following a deal brokered in November by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, security has been lax at the Rafah Crossing. A recent WND probe found Rice's Rafah border agreement has allowed terrorists to infiltrate the Gaza Strip, where they are poised to attack Israel, and grants Gaza-based terrorists freedom to travel into the nearby Sinai desert, where they can meet with regional jihadists.

The Egyptian accusations are the latest suspected links between Hamas and the Popular Resistance Committees, and also between both groups and al-Qaida cells allegedly operating in the Sinai desert.

...

According to a report by the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at Israel's Center for Special Studies, Hamas, concerned about its international image after taking over the Palestinian Authority, has "subcontracted" the Committees to commit terror acts in its place, with new Committees militants even pledging allegiance to Hamas as part of their induction.

"There are strong indications the Popular Resistance Committees has become a kind of Hamas subcontractor. Handling the Committees behind the scenes enables Hamas to encourage terrorist attacks against Israel while outwardly maintaining its policy of restraint and coping with the political exigencies resulting from the composition of its government," stated the Center for Special Studies report.

Hamas officially took over of the PA after winning January's parliamentary elections by a large margin. It appointed Jamal Abu Samhadana, overall leader of the Popular Resistance Committees, to the post of interior minister and general supervisor of the Palestinian police.

The Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center report stated Samhadana, who has a long history of anti-Israel violence and of collaboration with Hamas, made it clear he intended to continue as head of the Committees and attack Israel even after his appointment to the Hamas administration.

The report referenced Israeli interrogations carried out last November in which arrested Committees members allegedly stated Hamas provided their organization extensive operational support including arms, training, attack instructions and monthly funding.

One arrested Committees member allegedly told interrogators new recruits to his terror group were routinely brought before local Hamas representatives to swear their allegiance.

Read the whole thing.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 5:12 PM