Report: Hamas attack thwarted by Egyptian army

Palestinian arrested in Sinai attempting to bomb building in northern Sinai, admits to plan during interrogation, according to AFP.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Egyptian soldiers keep guard in Sinai 370 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Egyptian soldiers keep guard in Sinai 370
(photo credit: REUTERS)
The Egyptian army said on Wednesday it has foiled an attack by Hamas in Sinai, a region embroiled with tensions due to recent political turmoil in Egypt.
The Egyptian military interrogated a suspect and he admitted to the plan, AFP cited military spokesman colonel Ahmed Ali as saying.
Egyptian security forces arrested "a Palestinian belonging to Hamas who illegally entered Egypt... in a car with North Sinai license plate," according to Ali.
He added that during interrogations, the suspect "confessed he planned to blow up (his car) in front of a strategic security building,"
Egypt's army says militants from the Hamas-run Gaza Strip have staged joint attacks with hardline Islamists in North Sinai, where the government has ramped up security operations after a surge of violence set off by deposed President Mohamed Morsi's ouster in July.
In October, Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said “we do not have any security or military role in any Arab country, first and foremost Egypt.” The comments came in response to allegations about the involvement of Hamas in terror attacks against Egyptian troops. “We do not intervene in the internal affairs of anyone. What harms the Egyptian people also harms us.”