Region | Palestinian Territories
Al Qaida has set up terror cells in Israel, says Abdullah
Jordanian King Abdullah II told Israeli TV viewers on Thursday that Al Qaida is sure to have set up terror cells in their country.
- AP
- Published: 00:00 September 10, 2005
Jordanian King Abdullah II told Israeli TV viewers on Thursday that Al Qaida is sure to have set up terror cells in their country.
In an excerpt from an interview recorded in Amman with Israel TV, Abdullah said the militant group had established a global presence, which had tarnished the image of Islam.
"I think Al Qaida has planted cells all over the place," Abdullah said. "If they've been able to do it in countries all over the world, then I'm sure it has happened in Israel."
In February 2003, an Israeli military court jailed a Gaza man for 27 years for training with Al Qaida the only known case of links between locally-based Palestinian militants and Osama Bin Laden's terror network.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said in the same year that Al Qaida members had infiltrated the Gaza Strip and Lebanon and were working to target Israel. He did not provide details.
A handful of Israel's own Arab minority have been prosecuted for links with the Lebanese Hezbollah militia and with Palestinian militant groups, but no ties with Al Qaida have been alleged. Arabs make up about 20 per cent of Israel's population of 6.9 million.
Since the September 11 attacks on the United States, Israel has sought to link its conflict with the Palestinians to the war on terrorism.
The Palestinians have denied any connection to Al Qaida.
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