Egypt's intel chief decided Hamas takeover served Cairo's interests
Geostrategy-Direct, www.geostrategy-direct.com, June 27, 2007

LONDON - Egypt has cooperated with Hamas in allowing shipments of weapons,
munitions and explosives that facilitated the Islamic takeover of the Gaza
Strip last week, Western intelligence sources said.

Egypt concluded that a Hamas takeover would halt or reduce insurgency
infiltration in the Sinai Peninsula.

"The Egyptians were in the picture as early as several weeks ago," an
intelligence source said. Hamas leader Khaled "Masha'al discussed the Fatah
strategic threat and said Hamas would stop [Fatah security chief Mohammed]
Dahlan at any cost."

[On June 18, a Palestinian was killed and 20 others were injured in a gun
battle between Israeli soldiers and Palestinians at a border crossing in the
northern Gaza Strip. The Popular Resistance Committees said it fired on
Israeli soldiers.]

In a recent telephone conversation with Egyptian intelligence chief Gen.
Omar Suleiman, Masha'al said Dahlan and his allies were working with Al
Qaida-aligned groups to undermine Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The source quoted
Masha'al as saying that Fatah was allowing Al Qaida to infiltrate the Sinai
Peninsula to facilitate attacks on the regime of President Hosni Mubarak.

"Masha'al's bottom line was that Hamas was going to launch an offensive,"
the source said. "In the end, Suleiman became convinced that this would
serve Egyptian interests."

By June 15, Hamas gained control of the entire Gaza Strip, including the
borders with Egypt and Israel. Over the past three days, the source said,
Hamas has received an unprecedented amount of weapons smuggled from Sinai,
including enhanced Katyusha rockets, anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles.

"Hamas got rid of Fatah and Egypt is now allowing the transfer of all the
weapons Hamas wants," an Israeli military source said.

Hamas has also acquired thousands of semi-automatic rifles and hundreds of
rocket-propelled grenade launchers, mortars and other weapons from arsenals
of the Presidential Guard and Preventive Security Apparatus. The weapons
were seized in cooperation with Hamas agents who infiltrated the two
Palestinian Authority agencies loyal to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.

Following the Hamas takeover, Egypt has withdrawn its security presence from
the Gaza Strip. Still, Suleiman maintains nearly daily contact with Hamas
leaders on security and intelligence issues.

Dahlan had angered Egypt by promoting Al Qaida elements in the Gaza Strip.
Dahlan gave former aide Mumtaz Dughmosh nearly $1 million to fight Hamas and
attack Egypt's representative office as well as Internet cafes, and cellular
phone and video stores as part of an Al Qaida-inspired campaign against
Western influence.

"Dughmosh established the 'Army of Islam' as a cover by Dahlan to attract Al
Qaida elements, blow up rival businesses and destabilize the Gaza Strip,"
another Western intelligence source said. "Dughmosh also used his people to
attack Egyptian security officers in Gaza in an attempt to stage a
provocation."
On July 11, Masha'al ordered the Hamas offensive against Fatah. The order
was prompted by a Fatah attack on the home of Prime Minister Ismail Haniya,
the political leader of Hamas.

Within days, most of the Fatah military leadership was either killed,
captured or fled the Gaza Strip. On June 18, Hamas granted an amnesty to NSF
commander Brig. Gen. Jamal Qaid, PG commander Mesbah Buhaisi and his deputy
Hamouda Al Sheik, Fatah commanders Tawfiq Abu Khousa and Majed Abu Shamaleh.

Other Fatah commanders granted amnesty were identified as Abed Elal Al
Ghoul, Ali Ahmed Ali, Khaldun Hijo, Durgham Saber and Mohammed Jadallah
Buhaisi. Hamas's military wing, the Izzedin Kassam Brigades, said several
Fatah leaders have been placed on trial.

"The brigades stressed that what happened was not against Fatah rather
against the traitors in these services especially who belong to Dahlan
branch," Hamas said in a statement on June 18. "We appreciate the position
of many members of the security services who have surrendered themselves and
handed over their weapons."