The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) denied on Friday claims made by a Libyan official that a terror cell affiliated to the movement was detained in the war-torn country, Safa News Agency reported.
Several media outlets reported the head of investigations at Libya’s Attorney General’s Office, Sadek Assour, as stating a Mauritanian was arrested and that he was part of a Hamas cell, which had carried out operations against the Algerian army.
He also claimed that the Attorney General’s office had information about cells trying to activate themselves in Libya, one of which is connected to Hamas.
In response to these remarks, Hamas spokesman, Fawzi Barhoum, reiterated that Hamas does not operate outside of occupied Palestine and that all these claims were “false.”
Barhoum expressed his alarm with the claims, noting this was not the first time Hamas was accused of being involved in Libyan affairs. He stressed all these allegations were intended to undermine the movement’s “credibility among the countries of the region,” which support the Palestinian resistance.
Barhoum affirmed that Hamas’ steadfast policy is not to interfere in the internal affairs of any country “as its sole target is the Israeli occupation in Palestine.”
The Hamas official called for an end to such false claims and lies and hoped that “safety, unity, security and prosperity” will be achieved soon for Libya and its people.