"They are stockpiling arms, ammunition and explosives," Abbas told the
Russian Today satellite television. "We're watching them and we will get
them."
This was the first time Abbas, whose term expired in January 2009,
accused Hamas of plotting to assassinate PA leaders. In the past, Abbas
warned of the emergence of a Hamas military infrastructure in the West Bank.
Abbas said PA forces have been seizing Hamas weapons caches in West Bank
cities. In one unidentified residential area, he said, the PA found a Hamas
cache that consisted of two tons of explosives, small arms, rocket-propelled
grenade launchers, and machine guns.
Officials said the PA has detained 700 Hamas operatives over the last
year, many of them identified as military wing members. The PA has pledged
to release 100 Hamas agents detained in 2009.
Hamas was said to maintain military cells in such cities as Bethlehem,
Hebron, Jenin, Kalkilya, Nablus, Ramallah and Tulkarm. In late May and early
June, at least eight people were killed in Hamas gun battles with the PA in
Kalkilya.
