Special report: Internal situation in
Palestine
GAZA, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian Interior Ministry of the deposed
Hamas administration in Gaza Strip said Wednesday that none of the detainees,
arrested by Hamas' security forces, were held for their political affiliation.
"All the inmates are jailed because of criminal backgrounds regardless the
faction they belong to," said Ihab al-Ghussein, spokesman for the ministry.
Al-Ghussein's remarks were made in response to allegation of Ibraheem Abu
al-Najja, a leader of rival Fatah movement, who sent his greetings to "Fatah
members abducted inside Hamas jails."
"If Abu al-Najja and others who represent Fatah want us to open the files
of the prisoners and show the reason behind their detention, we will be ready to
do this and reveal their scandals," al-Ghussein said.
The spokesman also affirmed that the prisoners are being interrogated and
their files are sent to the prosecution, reiterating that Hamas "doesn't throw
the people into the jails without trial."
According to al-Ghussein, the ministry has held some of its ownsecurity
members accountable for committing "personal violations which don't represent
the ministry's policy."
The forms of punishment included salary reduction, rank lowering and even
sacking as what had happened to three officers who committed some mistakes,
al-Ghussein added.
Since Hamas overran Abbas' Fatah militants in mid-June and seized control
of the Gaza Strip, Hamas had detained many Palestinians loyal to President
Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement, saying, "they want to bring back the status of
lawlessness to the Gaza Strip."
While in the Fatah-controlled West Bank, Fatah's security forces have been
constantly accused by Hamas of intensifying efforts to crack down on Hamas
members and prevent a possible repeated scenario in the West Bank.
Since mid-June, rival Hamas and Fatah movements have exchanged accusations
over many issues, featuring claims and counter-claims, to vie for credibility
and faith among Palestinians.
