Court rules Gaza tunnels threaten national security
Al-Masry Al-Youm Tue, 26/02/2013 - 19:23
http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/court-rules-gaza-tunnels-threaten-national-security

The Cairo Administrative Court ruled Tuesday that smuggling tunnels between
Egypt and the Gaza Strip pose a threat to national security and should
therefore be destroyed.

The court said the tunnels are not controlled by the state, which makes them
illegal.

The Armed Forces said earlier this month that a crackdown on smuggling
tunnels will continue due to security concerns.

Armed Forces spokesperson Ahmed Mohamed Ali estimates that there are around
225 tunnels.

The tunnels are used to smuggle merchandise between the two territories due
to an Israeli blockade implemented in 2007 when Hamas took power.

Israel has called on Egypt to destroy the tunnels, fearing that weapons were
being smuggling to militant groups.

Hamas condemned the decision to flood smuggling tunnels linking Sinai and
Gaza last week.

"The movement reviewed the issue of the destruction of tunnels with Egyptian
officials and hopes that officials in Egypt understand the situation in Gaza
and the need for these tunnels," Hamas leader Salah al-Bardaweel said in a
statement.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm