Thursday, November 15, 2012

Hamas Leader Meshaal in Sudan for Islamic Meeting

Hamas chief Meshaal in Sudan for Islamist meet

November 15, 2012

Khaled Meshaal, the exiled chief of the Hamas movement which rules Gaza, was seen on Thursday at a major conference of Sudanese Islamists, as fierce fighting flared in the Palestinian territory.

Meshaal, a frequent visitor to Sudan, was shown by government-owned Blue Nile TV in a front row among thousands of delegates to the four-yearly meeting of Sudan's Islamist Movement, which is linked to the ruling National Congress Party.

Meshaal is among more than 170 foreign Islamists who were expected to attend the three-day conference.

Israeli officials have expressed concern about arms smuggling through Sudan and have long accused Sudan of serving as a support base for Hamas militants.

Khartoum accused Israel of sending four radar-evading aircraft to strike a military factory in the heart of Khartoum at midnight on October 23, and then said Israel was spreading "fabricated information" about links between the military factory, Hamas and Iran.

Israel refused all comment on Khartoum's accusation that it bombed the factory.

Warplanes from the Jewish state pounded Gaza for a second day on Thursday, in Israel's harshest assault on the Palestinian territory in four years.

Fighting began with Israel's targeted killing of Hamas military chief Ahmed Jaabari on Wednesday. Since then, militants have fired around 180 rockets over the border, police said.

-AFP

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