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Last update - 00:12 25/08/2008
Police close Islamic institute suspected of aiding Hamas
By Eli Ashkenazi and Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: Islamic Movement, Hamas 

The Israel Police on Sunday shut down the offices of a central Islamic Movement sub-branch based in the northern Israeli Arab town of Umm al-Fahm.

Large forces from the Valley District Police raided the offices of Al-Aqsa, the national organization's central body in the north, after Defense Minister Ehud Barak deemed it an "illegal organization."

Prior to the raid, the Shin Bet had gathered intelligence revealing that Al-Aqsa was coordinating with Hamas commaders in East Jerusalem, by giving them financial and logistical support for their activities in the capital.
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A number of Umm al-Fahm residents and movement activists arrived at the Al-Aqsa offices to watch the raid. Police said they seized documents, computers and other material belonging to the institute before closing it down.

In response to the police action, the Islamic Movement denied any connection to Hamas.

"The Israeli establishment prefers to use the stick method instead of talking," the movement said in a statement.

Islamic Movement spokesman Zaim Jiday denied the alleged links with Hamas.

"It's absolutely not right," he told Army Radio. "We do not cooperate [with Hamas]. We carry out legal, open and transparent activities."

The Islamic Movement's northern branch is headed by Sheikh Ra'ad Salah, who last year was arrested for disturbances at a protest against Israeli excavations near the Dome of the Rock in the Old City of Jerusalem.

He was later in court with incitement to violence and racism, over a fiery speech he gave in the Wadi Joz neighborhood, in which he accused Jews of using children's blood to bake bread.

Salah said Sunday that the raided institute was founded 10 years ago and has an Israeli licence to operate.

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      1.   Left will protest, since it isn`t Kach 10:31  |  Binyamin Dissen 24/08/08
      2.   Enforce the law. 10:58  |  Jean Van Daem 24/08/08
      3.   In Israel, suspicion is sufficient to condemn Arabs 11:21  |  Natallie Durson 24/08/08
      4.   Good job, time to stop islamic extremism 11:36  |  Johnny 24/08/08
      5.   Islamic movemnt 12:23  |  Zouzou 24/08/08
      6.   Salah is an ardent racist, this was long over due 12:48  |  David G 24/08/08
      7.   To Johnny of Stockholm 14:04  |  American 24/08/08
      8.   5th Column 15:20  |  Ron 24/08/08
      9.   American and Natalie 16:05  |  zengeos 24/08/08
      10.   American #7 on innocent until proven guilty 16:38  |  Johnny 24/08/08
      11.   Israel should close all islamic (aka terrorist) institutions 16:44  |  JP 24/08/08
      12.   Natalie, you are almost right... 16:47  |  Simon 24/08/08
      13.   Natalie likes to support murderous killers like all leftie do 16:48  |  JP 24/08/08
      14.   Suspicions and Natallie Durson 17:16  |  Israeli citizen 24/08/08
      15.   #7 American....in your country, the gov has 17:19  |  Lynn 24/08/08
      16.   American @#7 17:59  |  Akiva P 24/08/08
      17.   #3 Jews in Arab countries were treated much worse 22:39  |  EgyptJewRefugee 24/08/08
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