Special to WorldTribune.com

CAIRO — Egypt and Hamas were said to be coordinating in a crackdown
on Al Qaida-aligned militias.

A leading Salafist commander asserted that Egypt and Hamas were
cooperating in identifying and arresting dozens of Salafists over the last
two months.

The commander said the crackdown was taking place in the
Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip and focused on Salafist rocket squads.

“There are more than 30 Salafists in Gaza jails who were arrested for firing
rockets,” Abu Al Aina Al Ansari, a leading Salafist, said.

Al Ansari said the coordination between Egypt and Hamas began in wake of
an attack on an Egyptian Army base in August 2012 in which 16 soldiers were killed. He said Egypt provided names of Salafists wanted for the attack and many have been arrested.

“Many of the arrests in the Gaza Strip were done on Egyptian orders,” Al
Ansari told the Saudi-owned A-Sharq Al Awsat daily on April 21. “We have
precise information about full coordination between Egypt and Hamas in the war on the Salafists.”

Al Ansari’s assertion was published in wake of a rocket attack on the
southern Israeli city of Eilat on April 16. The Mujahadeen Shura Council,
which Al Ansari denied any affiliation, claimed responsibility for the
strike.

Hamas provided Egyptian intelligence officers with access to prisons in
the Gaza Strip, Al Ansari said. He said the Egyptians were recently allowed
to interrogate Salafist detainees.

Mujahadeen as well as other Salafists, believed to be financed by Qatar,
pledged to continue rocket attacks on Israel despite Hamas arrests. They
said the attacks were not linked to strained relations between the Salafists
and Hamas or Egypt.

“We do not act in accordance with political considerations,” Al Ansari
said. “The relationship with Hamas and Egypt does not guide us. We did not
want to send messages to anyone. This is just holy war.”

  Abu Al Aina Al Ansari, Egypt, Eilat, Hamas crack down on Salafist rocket squads in Sinai, Mujahadeen Shura Council