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Hamas Fights Islamist Group In Gaza Over Declaration of "Islamic Emirate"

By Howard M. Friedman

Jerusalem Post reports that fighting today in the Gaza Strip between Hamas forces and the radical Islamist group Jund Ansar Allah killed 5 and wounded at least 50. The fighting, which began near a mosque in Rafah, was triggered when Islamist leader Abdel-Latif Moussa (also known by his nom de guerre, Abu al-Nour al-Maqdessi) declared "the birth of the Islamic Emirate" in Gaza. Jund Ansar Allah apparently has links to Al Qaida. Islamists seeking to impose shariah law in Gaza are increasingly challenging Hamas, whose goals are more nationalistic than religious. The Hamas's Interior Ministry described Maqdessi as "crazy."

Full post as published by Religion Clause on August 14, 2009 (boomark / email).