Report: al-Qaida strengthening ties in Gaza Strip

aIn a report published by the London based newspaper al-Quds al-Arabi, a Palestinian official said that al-Qaida has strengthened its ties with the Palestinian terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip, Israel Radio reported on Saturday morning. Younes al-Astal, a Hamas Palestinian Authority Parliament member told the newspaper that among the organizations that have been linked with al-Qaida, is the terrorist cell that kidnapped BBC correspondent Alan Johnston. Al-Astel said that in case a stalemate in the political negotiations with Israel occurs, Hamas might consider joining al-Qaida's path.