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Hamas issues worldwide appeal for funds

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Tuesday, December 10, 2002

GAZA CITY Ñ The Islamic Hamas organization has appealed to Muslims around the world for help.

Hamas has urged Muslims to donate money to finance a holy war against Israel, leading Israeli security sources to speculate that U.S. efforts to stop the funding of terrorist organizations is succeeding.

The movement issued the call on its web site, pledging that those who donated would have their sins atoned and be assured of a place in heaven, Middle East Newsline reported.

The sources said Saudi Arabia might have reduced or halted its funds over the last few months under pressure from the Bush administration.



But Israeli intelligence sources disagreed, saying there is no evidence the Saudis have significantly reduced funding to Hamas.

Last week, Saudi foreign policy advisor Adel Al Jubeir said Saudi Arabia does not support the transfer of funds to Islamic insurgency groups in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. He said the kingdom has tried since 1992 to halt aid to Islamic insurgency attacks against Israel.

"On the issue of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, Saudi Arabia's position as a government has been very clear: We have tried since for the last 10 years to cut off funding to Hamas," Al Jubeir said. "But that does not mean cutting off funding to Palestinians in the territories. Building hospitals, building roads, building schools, buying pharmaceuticals, buying food, yes; but to have money go towards violence is something that we have tried to work on and will continue to work on."

But Israeli intelligence sources said Saudi Arabia has not stopped or significantly reduced funding to Hamas. They said Saudi foundations continue to relay money to the families of suicide bombers linked to Hamas.

"We don't have any indication that U.S. pressure on Saudi Arabia has led to any reduction of aid to Hamas," a senior intelligence source said.

Hamas has also urged its supporters to abduct Israeli soldiers in an attempt to win the release of those members being held by Israel.

The movement's Izzedin Kassam military wing, in a statement on its website, termed abductions "the best weapon of deterrence" against Israel. Hamas has published and distributed an instruction manual on kidnapping soldiers.

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