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Low on funds and struggling against rival group Fatah in Palestine, the
Hamas has sought alliance with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and
Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, two Pakistan-based groups involved in terrorist
activities and sponsored by Pakistan's military intelligence agency,
the ISI, according to an Italian newspaper report. Hamas is a militant
group that won the Palestinian Authority's general elections early
this year and is infamous for its terrorist activities aimed at Israel.
According to Corriere della Sera, a widely read Italian paper, Hamas
has initiated close coordination with LeT and Hizb, both with close
links to Al-Qaeda. The report said the ties were forged during the
official visit of a Palestinian minister, a Hamas member, to Pakistan
this summer. The report has caused a flutter among intelligence and
security agencies because, it will mean a major threat to all countries
fighting the war against terrorism.
The report said the Palestinian ministers, apart from official
engagements, had two separate meetings -one with
Hizb-ul-Mujahideen's Syed Salahuddin and another LeT's Hafez Said.
The report said the two, possibly with the help of the Pakistani
intelligence, offered to the Hamas representative a briefcase
containing millions of dollars and other unknown material. The money
was to be used to sustain the Hamas movement in Palestine, and to deal
with the economic emergency it was facing. Another alarming aspect of
the report was that the Palestinian minister was also involved in
strengthening "military relation" between the Hamas army and the
Pakistan military.
The paper alleged that an agreement was reached, based on three points.
One that Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and LeT will have the possibility of going
to West Asia (Syria and Lebanon) to help the Arab Mujahideens; second,
Palestinian "elements" will seek refuge in the centers managed by
the Pakistani outfits in the Waziristan area, and third, there could be
exchange of information relating to the use of explosives and the
methods to smuggle them. There had been extensive dialogue among
intelligence outfits from Pakistan and Arab nations, and Islamic
outfits from Pakistan and Arabia. "Recently, the LeT has been talking
to the Arabs." said Indian intelligence officials.
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