Hamas armed wing declared ‘terror group’

Hamas armed wing declared ‘terror group’

Cairo, January 31

An Egyptian court today banned the armed wing of Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, declaring it a “terrorist” group, a judiciary official said.

Since Egypt’s military ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, the authorities have accused Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, of aiding jihadists.

Today’s court verdict followed a complaint from a lawyer accusing the Hamas armed wing of direct involvement in “terrorist operations” in the Sinai, a court official said.

The lawyer also accused the movement of using tunnels under the border between Egypt and Gaza to smuggle arms used in attacks against the police and army, the official said. — AFP