Hamas broadcaster condemns Congress resolution

Jul 5, 2008, 12:18 GMT

Gaza - Gaza-based television broadcaster al-Aqsa Saturday denounced a resolution presented to the US Congress seeking to have it outlawed as a terrorist organization.

The resolution, presented on June 26, was 'politically motivated and aims at silencing every free voice uncovering US and Zionist acts,' said Fathi Hamad, a lawmaker who heads the satellite channel operated by the radical Hamas movement.

The draft condemned al-Aqsa for incitement to violence against Americans and the United States as well as sponsoring recruitment and fundraising for terrorism against the US.

Hamad said the channel 'was mainly a resistance broadcaster that presented programmes showing the Palestinian cause.'

The resolution mentioned a puppet show aired by al-Aqsa in March that depicted an Arab child stabbing the president of the United States to death and turning the White House into a mosque.

The bill calls on the president to list al-Aqsa as a 'specially designated global terrorist.' It also mentioned instances of incitement of violence by the Lebanese Al-Manar, Iranian Al-Alam, Iraqi Al-Zawra and Iraqi Al-Rafidayn channels.

If approved, the resolution would call on the president to designate as global terrorists satellite providers that carried stations with the terror group status.

The text of the bill noted that that an Egyptian state-run provider, NileSat, carries Al-Aqsa.

Hamad said al-Aqsa would take 'alternative steps to secure the continuation of its broadcasts.'

Washington and the European Union regard Hamas as a terrorist organization and refuse to deal with it unless it recognizes Israel and renounces violence.

Hamas seized control of Gaza Strip in June 2007 after routing security forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of the secular Fatah movement.

Al-Aqsa led the Hamas media campaign during the bloody fighting.