FEATURE-Qaeda groups active in Gaza after year under Hamas

[notfullofit]

By Nidal al-Mughrabi

GAZA, June 10 (Reuters) - Abu Hafss is not happy.

A year after Hamas Islamists seized control of the Gaza Strip, Abu Hafss is waiting impatiently to see a sword remove the hand of a thief or a woman stoned to death for adultery.

"Hamas does not implement the rule of God," the Palestinian ally of al Qaeda said. "We have seen no one have his hand cut off for stealing. We have seen no one stoned as an adulterer."

Yet for all Abu Hafss' disappointment with the approach Hamas has adopted since it routed secular rivals in Gaza a year ago, some analysts believe smaller, more radical groups like Abu Hafss' secretive Jaysh al-Ummah (Army of the Nation) have benefited from the Hamas takeover to expand their membership.

Despite an official Hamas policy of respecting the rights of Gaza's small Christian minority, there has been an increase in attacks on Christians in the past year, apparently by Islamists not content with the extent of Hamas's "Islamisation" of Gaza.

Among the outward signs of that have been a proliferation of beards on men and headscarves on some women, along with the virtual disappearance of alcohol and a ban on pornographic websites -- though Hamas officials reject accusations that they are embarked on a programme to impose Islamic law on daily life.

If Gazans are more observant of Islamic practice -- and not all in the enclave agree that this so -- that is the result of persuasion, Hamas says.

"It does not happen by force but through growing public awareness," said spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri.

HAVEN

Yet Israel, Egypt and others are concerned that Gaza under Hamas's isolated control may become a haven for al Qaeda-allied groups, such as the Army of Islam, a clan-based group which last year held a British journalist hostage in Gaza for four months.

A week of fighting with the Fatah forces of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas saw Hamas take control of Gaza and its 1.5 million people on June 14 last year -- and saw Abbas dismiss a Hamas-led government that had been hit by Western sanctions over Hamas's refusal to renounce violence against Israel.

Within three weeks of seizing power, Hamas was quick to trumpet its success in securing the freedom of the hostage reporter, the BBC's Alan Johnston. Its spokesmen say it continues to oppose violent Islamist factions.

"Anyone who harms the public order will certainly be hunted down," Hamas spokesman Abu Zuhri said, while also saying Hamas was ready to accept the aid of such groups in its fight against Israel.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad control the majority of mosques in Gaza and both groups restrict the activity of other extremist factions who tend to meet at smaller mosques or in homes where they preach their fanatic brand of Islam.

Market stalls do brisk business in selling recordings of speeches of al Qaeda leaders Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahri and the late Abu Musab al-Zarqawi as well as videos of beheadings of U.S. and foreign soldiers and personnel in Iraq.

In an environment where a tightened Israeli blockade against Hamas has increased hardships for people in the enclave, more radical forms of Islam appear to some analysts to be exercising a growing influence over some Palestinians.

A Gaza political analyst, who spoke anonymously for fear of retribution, said Hamas's influence on fostering more Islamic social behaviour in Gaza had been mixed. He argued that the fact Hamas had taken control but then did not impose more severe Islamic ways may have boosted those groups which favoured that.

"Hamas is keen not to be seen as an Islamic state, so they've refrained from passing laws or forcing people to follow what they believe. They have not taken action to Islamise the community. But allowing extremist thinking to breed armed cells is much more dangerous," the analyst said.

more...
http://www.reuters.com/article/featuredCrisis/idUSL03810861

[Sezu]

1. "for fear of retribution" says it all n/t

[Vegasaurus]

2. These Islamic terrorists are all bedfellows

whether it is Hamas, Hezbollah or al Qaeda, they all have similar goals, which is annihilation of Israel and Jews.

Al Qaeda just goes a little farther and wants to get rid of America too, but the rest of the Islamists do a pretty good job of murdering Americans, every chance they get.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

3. Bottom line: Hamas is a nationalist liberation group. They are NOT implementing an AQ-esque

vision.

[notfullofit]

4. What is your opinion or view

of the following observation?

'Market stalls do brisk business in selling recordings of speeches of al Qaeda leaders Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahri and the late Abu Musab al-Zarqawi as well as videos of beheadings of U.S. and foreign soldiers and personnel in Iraq.'

[ProgressiveMuslim]

5. Hamas rejects al-Qaeda's support

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4776578.stm


Khaled Meshaal says he won't take his cue from al-Qaeda
Hamas has dismissed a message by al-Qaeda number two Ayman al-Zawahiri urging the Palestinian militant group never to make peace with Israel.
Hamas political leader Khaled Meshaal said the movement had "its own vision" and did not need al-Qaeda's advice.

He was responding to a video statement in which Zawahiri called on Hamas - which won last month's Palestinian election - to continue to fight Israel.

Mr Meshaal was speaking after talks with Russian officials in Moscow.

Hamas, which has carried out hundreds of deadly attacks against Israeli targets since the early 1990s, is seeking international legitimacy as it tries to form a Palestinian administration.

However, it continues to insist it does not recognise Israel's right to exist, despite coming under renewed international pressure to change its stance.

Zawahiri's video message was broadcast by al-Jazeera TV on Sunday.

always acts in the interests of the Palestinian people and makes any changes only after careful deliberation

Khaled Meshaal
Dressed in a black turban and white robe, al-Qaeda's deputy leader accused the outgoing Palestinian administration of betrayal.

"The seculars in the Palestinian Authority have sold out Palestine for crumbs... Giving them legitimacy is against Islam," he said.

Zawahiri urged Hamas to "continue the armed struggle" and reject agreements signed between its predecessors in government and Israel, describing them as "surrender accords".

He called on Muslims in "Palestine, Iraq and everywhere else... be wary of the new American game entitled the 'political process'", alluding to recent elections.

'No trap'

Reacting to Zawahiri's video message, Mr Meshaal said:

"The movement always acts in the interests of the Palestinian people, and makes any changes to its strategy only after careful deliberation."


Zawahiri said the Palestinian Authority had betrayed its people
Chief Hamas legislator Mahmoud al-Zahhar denied his movement had "walked into a US trap" by participating in the Palestinian elections.

"Entering these institutions does not mean that we will be a carbon copy of other factions," he told al-Jazeera.

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Frankly, I think, given the US support for Israel's crimes against Palestinians, that the level of even-headedness Palestinians show toward Americans is near miraculous. It's a pity that Americans don't show the same intelligence and rationality when it comes to Arab Muslims.

[notfullofit]

6. I knew that I had read

somewhere that there was no love lost between Hamas and al-Qaeda.

Thanks for all the info.