Although Hamas is determined to implement Sharia in Gaza, some Muslims there are getting impatient. More on this story. "Pro-Qaeda group declares 'Islamic emirate' in Gaza," by Nidal al-Mughrabi for Reuters, August 14 (thanks to James):
GAZA (Reuters) - Islamist radicals from a Palestinian group called Jund Ansar Allah defied the Hamas rulers of Gaza on Friday by declaring an "Islamic emirate" in the territory and staging a defiant display of arms.Though the "Warriors of God" rallied only a few hundred men for their planned event at a Gaza mosque, it was the latest challenge to Hamas's nationalist brand of Palestinian Islam by groups espousing a pan-Arab militancy aligned with al Qaeda.
Speaking before weekly prayers Abdel-Latif Moussa -- known to his followers by the al Qaeda-style nom de guerre Abu al-Nour al-Maqdessi -- announced the start of theocratic rule in the Palestinian territories, starting at Rafah where he lives on Gaza's border with Egypt. He vowed to implement Islamic laws.
"We declare the birth of the Islamic Emirate," declared Maqdessi, a heavily-bearded, middle-aged cleric in a red robe who was guarded by four black-clad, masked men with assault rifles. One wore what appeared to be an explosive suicide belt.
An audience of several hundred men filled the mosque with cheers and shouts. Al Qaeda uses the historical term "emirate" to mean clerical rule across the Islamic world.
Ismail Haniyeh, who heads Gaza's Hamas government, denied in his Friday sermon that there were any non-Palestinian gunmen in the territory, as alleged by Israel which charges that veterans of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have taken up residence.
"Such groups do not exist on the soil of the Gaza Strip ... there are no fighters in Gaza except Gazan fighters," he said.
Such "Zionist propaganda" from Israel was simply an attempt to turn the world against Hamas, he said....
It should be observed, for the benefit of all those who like to view jihadis as frustrated 'angry young men', poor and deprived and ill-educated, that this jihad gang boss, Abdul Latif Musa, now (August 16) deceased, was none of those things.
The posted article describes him in these words - "We declare the birth of the Islamic Emirate," declared Maqdessi, a heavily-bearded, middle-aged cleric ".
In an Australian Broadcasting Commission news story,
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/08/15/2657098.htm?section=justin
this is how Musa is described - " a 47-year-old paediatrician".
Not a youth - but well into middle age.
Not uneducated - he's a doctor.
Not poor - I doubt a doctor is poor even in Arab society.
And the observations that were made, to this article, by some of our number, while we were still inhabiting the bug-infested environs of IntenseDebate:
PULSAR (quoted ""Such groups do not exist on the soil of the Gaza Strip ... there are no fighters in Gaza except Gazan fighters," he said.
and said, 'and they follow Islam just like the Al-Qaeda Muslims do...both have the same goals...Islam must dominate and Infidels must die...simple Islamic rules to go by...'.
SORROW seconded PULSAR - It is like comparing different flavors of Spam. No matter what spice or glaze you put on it, it is still just a can of Spam.
UNDHIMMI in the thread about extremism in the UK, supplied the following, relevant to this story - 'The BBC reports this morning that the moderate, legitimate government of Gaza is er, cracking down on a 'radical group' in Gaza after it declared Gaza an "Islamic emirate".
Coming as this does from the upside down Alice-in-Wonderland world of our terminally biased and hopelessy leftard state broadcaster, this would transtale to normal people as: Top Islamofascist Criminal Gang Wipes out Rival.'