Yassin says he's not afraid

[JohnLocke]

Yassin says he is not afraid
By Khaled Abu Toameh - Jerusalem Post
Sunday, January 18, 2004

Hamas leader Ahmed Yassin said on Saturday that his group would continue to launch suicide attacks against Israel "as long as the occupation of Palestinian lands continues."
He also brushed off warnings by Israel that he is "marked for death" because of his responsibility for Wednesday's suicide attack at the Erez crossing.
"The resistance against the occupation will continue for as long as the occupation exists," Yassin told reporters in Gaza City. "The armed wings of Hamas and the other factions will decide on the timing and location."
He said the fact that the Erez bombing was carried out by a woman showed that all Muslims, males and females alike, were obliged to take part in the "holy war." He added: "This proves that the resistance will continue until the enemy leaves our homeland." Yassin also lauded Fatah's role in the attack, saying this is proof that other Palestinian factions are prepared to help Hamas.
He said Hamas is engaged in an ongoing dialogue with European countries, while denying any contact with the US. "The contacts between us are continuing; we talk to them and they talk to us," he said. "We sit together and we talk. We have no problem with them. We are open for dialogue with any country. We welcome any country that wants to talk to us." Yassin said his group has not held any official talks with US representatives. He also denied reports in the Arab media that Qatar was acting as a mediator between Hamas and Washington.
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Deputy Defense Minister Ze'ev Boim told Army Radio on Friday that Yassin would be targeted. "Sheikh Yassin is marked for death, and he should hide himself deep underground where he won't know the difference between day and night. And we will find him in the tunnels, and we will eliminate him," Boim said.
Security officials said Yassin personally approved the bombing and had issued a fatwa (religious decree) allowing women to carry out such attacks.
Covered with a brown blanket, the wheel-chaired Yassin appeared at a Gaza City mosque on Friday to tell his followers that "Israel would pay for its crimes." Later, thousands of Hamas supporters demonstrated in Gaza City in solidarity with Yassin.
(...)

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[JohnLocke]

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