Infighting amongst the extremists
 

Interesting article here. How many people here thought it was Hamas who kidnapped an Israeli soldier last year and a BBC reporter earlier this year? I have to admit that I thought so. That is what all the news reports here in the US said. Apparently it was not Hamas, but a rival extremist group called the "Army of Islam" that is actually an enemy of Hamas. Here is an article in a British newspaper explaining it all, including some recent developments....



Hamas arrest Johnston kidnap spokesman

Hamas has arrested the spokeman of the Palistinian militants believed to be holding BBC reporter Alan Johnston.

The interior ministry in Gaza City, which is under Hamas control, declared that its self-declared Executive Force police had arrested "certain individuals implicated in the kidnapping of British journalist Alan Johnston".

Spokesman Abu Khatab al-Maqdisi was arrested as he was leaving early morning prayers.

Hamas has demanded that the Army of Islam, led by one of Gaza's most violent clans, free Mr Johnston, who was kidnapped in Gaza on March 12.

But the Army of Islam, which has previously demanded the release of a radical Muslim cleric held in Britain, kidnapped 10 Hamas members in retaliation.

In a statement posted on militant web sites, the Army of Islam also threatened to release documents suggesting misconduct among Hamas members. "We will release some documents that reveal the truth about some personalities who have tricked the Muslim community," the statement said.

Mr Johnston has been held far longer than any Western journalist abducted in Gaza. Hamas has said it knows where to find the reporter, but has not raided the hideout for fear of harming him.

Last week, the Army of Islam posted a video message from Johnston on a militant website in which he said he was dressed in an explosive belt that his captors would detonate if there was an attempt to free him.

The tit-for-tat arrest and kidnappings reflect new tensions between Hamas and the Army of Islam, which was also involved in the capture of Israeli soldier Cpl Gilad Shalit more than a year ago.

Good, time for a self-cleaning oven.

So Palestinians (Hamas or otherwise) have been deceiving us? Color me shocked.

I'm more than happy to let them "settle" their differences among themselves. Just wish they'd stop involving innocent journalists, etc.

BTW - let me guess. The "Army of Islam" isn't a terrorist organization to you, is it?

I hope they get mad at each other and decide to fight it out on the plains of Moab. Perhaps the winner will get the just reward they are looking for. :thumbup:

There is no such thing as a "terrorist organization" as far as I'm concerned, unless an organization's end goal is to just kill a lot of people and there is no actual political objective. Otherwise, I consider all these groups "political organizations".

Terrorism is a method, not a type of person or organization. I don't agree with that method, but apparently I am in the minority in having this opinion. Most others (you included as you have stated in past threads) do agree with using the method of terrorism when they believe in the cause. And those same people tend to condem others who use the method of terrorism when they do NOT agree with the cause. Nothing surprising there.

To prove my point, name a group that used terrorism in the past where you disagreed with their use of terrorism, but were in favor of their cause. If nothing comes to mind, you do indeed fall into that category. When you believe in the cause, you probably don't even see it as terrorism, but are more likely to see it as "colateral damage".

Unfortunately, someone has to win this battle. And also unfortunate is that many innocent civilians will probably be killed.

They choose to live among the hostility...

They have no choice. They don't have the means to travel far, and the nearby countries will not allow them in as they already have too many refugies (or so they claim). Both Israel and Egypt have sealed the Gaza border and are not allowing anyone to cross.

I don't believe over 100's of years they have had "no choice".

Jews could have left Germany before the holocaust if they wanted to. Still doesn't make it right. Don't blame the victim.