Hamas has no plans to attack American targets, the group's new leader in Gaza said Wednesday, hastily backing off earlier threats against Washington following Israel's assassination of its founder. Abdel Aziz Rantissi told reporters in Gaza that his group's militant activities are aimed solely at Israel. "We are inside Palestinian land and acting only inside Palestinian land. We are resisting the occupation, nothing else," Rantisi said. "Our resistance will continue just inside our border here inside our country."
| "So you don't have to send any B52's to flatten me, okay?" |
Hamas had issued veiled threats against the United States — something it occasionally rarely does — after the death of its spiritual leader, Sheik Ahmed Yassin, in an Israeli air strike on Monday. It issued a statement saying America's backing of Israel made the assassination possible. "All the Muslims of the world will be honored to join in on the retaliation for this crime," Hamas said in a statement.
| We'll be equally honored to kill all who do. |
President Bush said after the statement that the United States takes the threat seriously.
Rantisi was named the new leader of Hamas in its Gaza Strip stronghold on Tuesday. The group's overall leader, Khaled Mashal, heads its political bureau in Damascus, Syria.
| ... where he gets his orders. |
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