Hamas denies activities in Algeria

The Palestinian Islamic Movement Hamas denied accusations by Tunisian mass media that it aimed to destabilising Algeria by digging tunnels and smuggling weapons.

Senior Hamas leader Izzat Al-Reshiq expressed his surprise over the accusations delivered by some mass outlets in Tunisia, saying they were “spreading falsifications against Hamas and its resistance.”

Speaking to the London based newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi, Al-Reshiq said: “Spreading such news builds an image that Hamas is an intercontinental movement with a fleet spread all over the planet.”

However, he said: “It is a Palestinian movement that mainly exists in Palestine and its sole enemy is the Israeli occupation, which occupies Palestinian land.”

Tunisian newspaper Al-Shorouq claimed that foreign and national intelligence sources had affirmed Hamas’ involvement in digging tunnels in 2010 to smuggle weapons and people at Al-Sha’anbi border area between Tunisia and Algeria.

According to the newspaper, sources said Hamas was directed by certain Gulf states and its activities come as part of plans by great Western powers aiming to destabilise Algeria.

Al-Shorouq said the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had spoken about this issue during his visit to Tunis a couple of days ago.

The Hamas leader said such accusations were “not strange” amid the sea of similar accusations by different Arabic media outlets, mainly in Egypt. He noted that some Egyptian accusations point to the involvement of dead or imprisoned Hamas members in destabilising Egypt.

He continued to say: “It would not be strange to hear that Hamas has played a role in Kiev and Crimea, or in Mali and Central Africa.” He called on the media to stick to objective and ethical coverage and its duty to broadcast the truth.

Al-Reshiq reaffirmed his movement’s stance that it refuses any interference in any country’s internal affairs. He said that his movement’s sole target is the Israeli occupation on the occupied Palestinian lands.