Hamas denies tapping mobiles using Iranian technology

Aug 4, 2007, 10:23 GMT

Gaza City - A spokesman for the Hamas movement denied on Saturday reports that his organization had tapped the mobile phones of top Palestinian Authority officials using Iranian technology.

'Spreading news about wiretapping is meant to cover the scandals of President Mahmoud Abbas' security services,' spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said.

Al-Hayyat newspaper, a London-based Arab daily, quoted a Palestinian security official as saying that Hamas obtained the tapping equipment from Iran before the Islamic movement took control of the Gaza Strip in June.

The official, whose name was not given, added that Hamas used the equipment to eavesdrop on the calls of its rival Fatah's leadership, which fled to the West Bank following Hamas' Gaza takeover, and of Fatah members in Gaza.

A few weeks ago, a member of the government that Abbas formed after dismissing the Hamas-led coalition said his mobile was being monitored by Hamas.

But the Palestinian telecommunication company insisted its Global System for Mobile (GSM) system was fully secured and that no one could access it.