Hamas denies plot vs Israelis in PH

Facade of the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame. Image from pnp.gov.ph website

MANILA, Philippines — The Palestinian militant group Hamas has denied the intelligence report of the Philippine National Police that it was recruiting Filipinos to mount attacks against Israeli nationals in the country.

In a report by Palestine-based and Hamas-affiliated Shehab news agency, a source in the Hamas movement stressed the group’s “declared policy of limiting its conflict with the Israeli occupation within the occupied Palestinian territories, and not to transfer it to any Arab or foreign lands.”

The Inquirer tried to reach Hamas through its official website for comment, but had yet to get a response at press time.

There was no comment either from the PNP.

Foiled attempt

On Wednesday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said it did not have any information about Hamas’ supposed terror plot.

The day before, the PNP said it had foiled an attempt by the group to wage a proxy war by recruiting locals to carry out attacks against Israelis in the Philippines.

In his report, Police Brig. Gen. Neil Alinsangan, chief of the PNP Intelligence Group, said a Hamas operative identified as Fares al Shikli, alias Bashir, was planning to recruit Filipinos with links to local threat groups that would be used to kill Jews in the country.

The groups would also conduct rallies at selected embassies and spread video propaganda in exchange for financial support from Hamas.

Red notice

The police said Fares al Shikli was allegedly the head of Hamas’ foreign liaison section.

He also had a red notice issued by the Interpol and was facing charges for “terrorism logistic support.”

Hamas is a militant movement and one of Palestine’s two major political parties. It is known for its armed resistance against Israel.

It was founded in December 1987 following the outbreak of the first intifada, a Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The United States, European Union, the United Kingdom and Canada consider Hamas a terrorist organization.

Other countries, such as Australia and New Zealand, only list its military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, as a terrorist group.

Hamas and Israel engaged in their deadliest conflict in six years during last year’s Israel-Palestine crisis.

It ended with a ceasefire but not after hundreds were killed and thousands more injured and over 72,000 Palestinians displaced.

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