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Hamas Leader Rejects Palestinian-Imposed House Arrest
Monday, June 24, 2002
l'Agence France-Presse

Senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniya told AFP that Palestinian police had also arrested more than 10 Hamas members in Gaza.

The spiritual leader of the radical Islamic Hamas movement rejected yesterday's orders by Yasser Arafat putting him under house arrest, as his supporters clashed with Palestinian police outside his Gaza City home.

Police and security officers surrounded Sheikh Yassin's house in western Gaza City early in the morning, acting on orders from the Palestinian leader, a day after arresting an unspecified number of Hamas militants.

A senior Palestinian police officer said the blind cleric was under house arrest but Sheikh Yassin and Hamas officials said they were not informed of this decision.

"I was not officially informed ... and even if they do inform me (of the house arrest) I will reject it," Yassin said at his house.

"I will pursue a normal life and I will go out," he said in response to a question on his plans.

As Palestinian police deployed around Yassin's home, taking up positions on street corners 40 metres away, they clashed with supporters of the 66-year-old wheelchair-bound Yassin, Hamas and police sources said.
(More: SMH.com News Source)
2002 © l'Agence France-Presse (AFP).

House arrest?! Why, the very idea... It’s absolutely terrible! If that were to happen to me, I’d probably have to kill myself!

Just trying to give the old boy some ideas here,
Dan