Al-Qaeda In Palestine Threatens Palestinian "Traitors"
Ryan R. Jones - All Headline News Middle East Correspondent Jerusalem, Israel (AHN) - In a video broadcast on the Internet Wednesday, a group calling itself "Al-Qaeda in Palestine" threatened to harm Palestinians who choose to cooperate in any way with Israel or otherwise work against Palestinian national goals. The man in the video, who identifies himself as Abu Hafs, was quoted by the AP as saying that his speech "is directed against... those who announce blasphemy against Islam and who are allied with enemies of God and religion, and work in the service of the Jews and the Christians." Without naming them, Abu Hafs goes on to denounce those Palestinian leaders aligned with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, noting that they "own investments, companies and real estate inside and outside the country while the people are starving and without clothes." He said Al-Qaeda in Palestine will unleash "a severe war (against) anyone who carries a weapon defending a traitor, an informer or a security coordinator." Abbas' security forces have at times been harshly criticized for preventing acts of terror against Israelis. Israeli defense officials have been warning for months that Al-Qaeda was trying to establish itself in the Palestinian-controlled territories. At this point, Palestinian security officials do not believe there are any Al-Qaeda cells in Gaza and the West Bank, but that many militants in those areas do ide |
