Special to WorldTribune.com

CAIRO — An Egyptian court has outlawed Hamas.

A Cairo court has ordered the end of the Hamas presence in the Egyptian capital. The so-called Court for Urgent Matters ruled that Hamas must suspend activities throughout the country.

“Hamas is a terrorist organization that acts against interests of Egypt,” the tribunal said.

The temporary order on March 4 capped nearly a year of accusations by Egypt’s military-backed regime against Hamas. Officials said Hamas, which protested the ruling, was working with the Muslim Brotherhood to destabilize Egypt, particularly the Sinai Peninsula.

[On March 5, Egypt’s official Middle East News Agency reported that security forces foiled a suicide bombing in the northern Sinai city of El Arish. The news agency said the target of the 18-year-old bomber was an unspecified military facility.]

The court also ordered authorities to seize Hamas assets in the Cairo province. The ruling did not cite Hamas holdings.

The Egyptian military has targeted weapons shipments to the Hamas-ruled
Gaza Strip. Officials said the military and security forces demolished 1,300
smuggling tunnels that connected Sinai to Gaza.

“If you don’t take action against us, we will treat you as Palestinian
citizens,” Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy, referring to Hamas, said.

  Cairo court bans Hamas, Court for Urgent Matters, El Arish, Nabil Fahmy, ruling it ‘a terrorist organization’, Sinai Peninsula