Hamas threatens attacks on US
Hamas threatens attacks on USTerrorist warns 'Middle East is full of American targets'
Members of Hamas are debating whether to carry out attacks against the United States and may hit American targets if the US continues to support Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' call for new elections, Hamas leaders told WND in a series of interviews.
"There is no doubt that Abu Mazen (Abbas) was encouraged to decide early elections after receiving American promises to support him politically and military," Abu Abdullah, a leader of Hamas' Izz al-Din al-Qassam Martyrs' Brigades, the group's declared "resistance" department, told WND.
The terror leader accused the US of instigating a Palestinian civil war.
"Here the Americans did not support the elections, they actually gave their support and their encouragement to a Palestinian civil war. It is our duty to prove to the Americans that they chose the wrong policy exactly like it is the case in Iraq," said Abu Abdullah, considered one of the most important operational members of Hamas' so-called military wing.
Abu Abdullah told WND Hamas has not yet decided to attack the US, "but one cannot guarantee that this will be the situation if the conspiracy of chasing our government succeeds."
Asked which US targets Hamas would hit, Abu Abdullah replied, "Do you think that I can give you an answer to this question? I can say that the Middle East is full of American targets and the world has had the occasion to learn what are the weapons of the anti-American forces in the region."
In a move widely seen as an attempt to dismantle the Hamas-led government, Abbas' last weekend called for new Palestinian elections, prompting violent clashes in the Gaza Strip between Hamas and Abbas' Fatah party.
Hamas, which won parliamentary elections in January, has threatened to boycott the proposed new elections, calling them "illegitimate."
Hamas-Fatah clashes in Gaza have killed at least 16 Palestinians the past five days.
According to multiple reports, the US has been arming and training Fatah militants to bolster them in clashes against Hamas.
A number of Hamas members, including Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, have claimed in recent days Abbas' call for new elections was orchestrated with the US.
Several Hamas leaders told WND meetings were held in recent weeks in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank to discuss the possibility of targeting the US due to its perceived support of Fatah against Hamas.
Abu Abdullah told WND Hamas' political decision for now is to try to convince the international community, including the US, they must "recognize and respect the democratic choices of the Palestinian people and to respect its government."
But, he said, if new elections indeed are held, "I would not be surprised if a change takes place in our present policy regarding attacks against American targets in the region."
"We are saying that in case of a scenario where elections are something concrete and not a political threat like it seems to be now, there is a real possibility that resistance forces in the region will hit American targets. The US is maintaining its support to the idea of the elections and so is the American servant (British Prime Minister) Tony Blair," Abu Abdullah said.
Aaron Klein, WND
Published: 12.24.06, 18:05
The interference of America in a fair and open election that did not go according to what America wanted is a very big problem for all of us. America in order to give President Bush a victory in his vision of a new Middle East is violating the very principles that America stands for.
America by backing Abbas with guns and money in an effort to over throw the democratically elected government of Hamas will with no doubt cost American lives.
