Posted on 03/03/2006 2:29:53 AM PST by John W
Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, has warned that al-Qa'eda has infiltrated the West Bank and Gaza, from where it could launch "disastrous" attacks on Israel and its neighbours.
Israeli army officers and intelligence analysts have already warned several times over the last year that al-Qa'eda has established cells in the Palestinian territories - a claim that the Palestinians have denied.
But in an interview with al Hayat, an Arabic language newspaper, Mr Abbas admitted yesterday that Palestinian security forces have picked up traces of al-Qa'eda operatives.
"We have indications about the presence of al-Qa'eda in Gaza and the West Bank. This is intelligence information," he said.
Mr Abbas told the paper that he had received the latest information during a briefing at the beginning of this week, but that the security forces under his control "have not yet reached the point of arrests".
The revelation will underscore growing concern in Israel that al-Qa'eda and other hostile militants are surrounding the Jewish state.
Israel has previously warned that al-Qa'eda is active in neighbouring Jordan to the east, as well as in the Sinai peninsula under Egyptian control to the south.
To the north, the Israeli army also frequently clashes with Shia Hezbollah militants based in Lebanon. Al-Qa'eda is a largely Sunni Muslim group.
King Abdullah of Jordan has even declared that al-Qa'eda has infiltrated Israel itself.
"If they succeeded in infiltrating [the West Bank and Gaza] and if no one watches over them, the result could be disastrous for the entire region," Mr Abbas said.
The Israeli government, led by acting prime minister Ehud Olmert, has already dismissed the Palestinian authority as a "terrorist entity" after a landside victory for Hamas, a militant group, in legislative elections in January.
But it remains unclear to what extent Hamas might tolerate, or co-operate with, a separate extremist faction under foreign control, which was found to be operating on its turf.
Thanks Fred. ;o)
ping
these are armed gangs of thugs vying for territory. they all want to be on top of the pyramid. ij, hezbollah, al-aqsa, tanzim, hamas, fatah, now al qaeda, its a powerplay. al-qaeda is an outsider.
Not one thin dime should be going over there, IMO.
OTH, both Bush & Rice think the murderous Hamas filth can be dealt with, in spite of their past record.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1495315/posts
I don't agree with ANYONE in the WH on imagration / border
I don't agree with Bush and Rice on this either
"al-Qa'eda has infiltrated the West Bank and Gaza, from where it could launch "disastrous" attacks on Israel and its neighbours."
Ya think?
It sounds like maskarova is going on here, with the aim of making Hamas more "legitimate" as somebody who can help control Al Qaeda - much as Arafat claimed he could control the PLO so we could rationalize supporting him!
This is just another rope-a-dope deal for Israel and us.
Funny, because Al-Qaeda never cared to mention Israel in their first few yrs of operations.
It wasn't until the attacks on our embassy's in Africa that they started whining about Israel (no doubt to gain support amongst Mohammedans all over the world).
I wonder if the Palestinians think they voted for this too?
ON THE NET...
MEMRI.org - Special Dispatch Series - No. 1087: "HAMAS LEADER KHALED MASH'AL AT A DAMASCUS MOSQUE: THE NATION OF ISLAM WILL SIT AT THE THONE OF THE WORLD AND THE WEST WILL BE FULL OF REMORSE - WHEN IT'S TOO LATE" (February 7, 2006) (Read More...)
WorldNetDaily.com: "HAMAS 'CAPABLE OF U.S. ATTACKS' Terrorism experts warning nation potentially at risk from militants" by Aaron Klein (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "JERUSALEM - Hamas has cells inside the United States that are technically capable of attacking the country, terrorism experts and senior security officials told WorldNetDaily.") (October 16, 2005) (Read More...)
MEMRI.org - Special Dispatch Series - No. 983: "COMMANDER OF HAMAS MILITARY WING WOMEN'S UNIT: 'Our Members Yearn for Martyrdom'" (September 9, 2005) (Read More...)
JNEWSWIRE.com: "HAMAS: CHRISTIAN ZIONISM IS OUR ENEMY" by Jerusalem Newswire Editiorial Staff (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The Hamas terrorist organization has singled out Christian supporters of Israel, putting them on notice that it views their actions as "criminal," making them enemies of the Palestinian Arabs.") (August 22, 2005) (Read More...) (Note: This url may expire.)
"fayrouz.blogspot.com/2004_09_01_fayrouz_archive.html#109415983198622045" - "IRAN AND AL-ZARQAWI" - "posted by Fayrouz 9/2/2004" (ARTICLE - TRANSLATION - SNIPPET: "A former corps chief said Abu-Mosaab Al-Zarqawi escaped to Turkey last year, after being in Iran and entered Iraq more than a year ago. He confirmed to the newspaper that a meeting was held last June between Al-Zarqawi and a Lebanese fugitive, Emad Mughania, at one of Al-Quds corps centers in Kermanshah providence in western Iran. The source said Mughania played an influential role in forming the Al-Mahdi Army. Al-Mahdi Army belongs to the strict Shia religious cleric, Muqtada Al-Sadr, and trains its members in camps inside Iran. He also mentioned the entrance of Shia fighters from Lebanon to Iraq dressed as religious studies students. These fighters then join Al-Madi Army under the supervision of Emad Mughania. Mughania underwent a cosmetic surgery recently in a sanitarium for the revolutionary guards in northern Iran to change his face. This is the 5th surgery for Mughania, who's been chased by Western and Arabic intelligence organizations for a number of years now. The source said Mughania kept his relationships with Aymen Al-Thawahiri, the number-two man in Al-Qaida organization despite the difficulty of contacting him lately. He added that Mughania submitted a report early this year to chief of the revolutionary guards intelligence after a visit to Iraq. The report outlined the importance of expanding a framework of collaboration between Al-Mahdi Army and Al-Zarqawi's group. Muqtada has lost his standing among the Iraqi shia, especially Al-Najaf, while gaining more supporters in the Sunni triangle.")
All the more reason to wipe out the area of Gaza. Not that it's a nice thing to do, but in the long run, it's for the greater good and stability of the region. Now that the palis are isolated into one area, Israel can either surgically strike and kill all the Hamas members or wipe the entire group off the map before it gets any worse. Wiping out Hiroshima and Nagasaki stopped the Japanese in WWII, it works.
But of course, we know nothing will be done (bleeding heart libnut-ism for those "poor beleaguered palis") and terror will continue to fester out of that region for the rest of our lives.
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