LOC13:08
10:08 GMT
HAMAS CONDEMNS DEPORTATION OF HAMAS LEADERS TO QATAR
JERUSALEM, NOV 22 (KUNA) -- THE ISLAMIC RESISTANCE MOVEMENT OF HAMAS
CONDEMNED ON MONDAY JORDAN'S DEPORTATION OF THE ISLAMIC MOVEMENT'S LEADERS TO
DOHA.
JORDAN ON SUNDAY DEPORTED TO QATAR A NUMBER OF LEADERS OF THE ISLAMIC
RESISTANCE MOVEMENT OF HAMAS INCLUDING KHALID MISHAAL AND IBRAHIM GUOSHEH, AS
WELL AS OTHER POLITBUREAU MEMBERS, AFTER BEING DETAINED IN JORDAN FOR THREE
MONTHS.
ISMAEL HANIYA, A TOP HAMAS LEADER TOLD KUNA THAT THE DEPORTATION OF
JORDANIAN NATIONALS FROM THEIR COUNTRY VIOLATES THE NINTH ARTICLE FROM THE
JORDANIAN CONSTITUTION.
HANIYA DEMANDED THE JORDANIAN GOVERNMENT TO RECONSIDER ITS DECISION AND
ALLOW THEM TO RETURN TO THEIR COUNTRY.
THE JORDANIAN GOVERNMENT SAID IN A STATEMENT YESTERDAY THAT THE DEPORTED
HAMAS LEADERS HAD LEFT FOR DOHA FOLLOWING CONSULTATIONS BETWEEN KING ABDULLAH
II AND AMIR OF QATAR SHEIKH HAMAD BIN KHALIFA AL-THANI.
THE JORDANIAN GOVERNMENT REASSERTED THAT IT WOULD NOT ACCEPT THE PRESENCE
OF A POLITICAL OR MEDIA OFFICES FOR HAMAS IN JORDAN.
THE HAMAS ISSUE RESULTED FROM THE MEMBERSHIP OF JORDANIAN CITIZENS IN A
FOREIGN ORGANIZATION GROUP AND THE PRACTICING OF UNAUTHORIZED ORGANIZATIONAL
ACTIVITIES, VIOLATION OF LOCAL LAWS AND UNDERMINING THE COUNTRY'S STABILITY,
THE GOVERNMENT SAID IN ITS STATEMENT.
HANIYA CLAIMED THAT THE REAL REASON OF THE DEPORTATION WAS HAMAS'S REFUSAL
OF THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS.
HAMAS MOVEMENT SPIRITUAL LEADER, SHEIKH AHMED YASEEN REFUSED IN A STATEMENT
ISSUED IN GAZA LAST NIGHT THE JORDANIAN MEASURES AGAINST HAMAS LEADERS, NOTING
THAT SUCH MEASURES ARE NOT IN THE INTEREST OF THE JORDANIAN AND PALESTINIAN
PEOPLE.
YASEEN CLAIMED THAT THE JORDANIAN GOVERNMENT ACTION "VIOLATES HUMAN RIGHTS
AND IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL". (END)
KA.HM
KUNA 221308 Nov 99NNNN