Abbas Declares All Unofficial Armed Groups “Illegal”

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud ‘Abbas on Tuesday issued a declaration deeming "all armed militias, groups and brigades that do not belong in practice to the security services shall be treated as illegal organizations." The order said that the government would "confiscate guns, explosives and any type of weaponry purchased illegally, since they endanger the public order." At Monday’s summit meeting at Sharm A-Sheikh, ‘Abbas reportedly reiterated his request of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to allow the P.L.O.’s Badr Brigade, a fighting force of about 1,500 men now stationed in Jordan, to move into the West Bank to provide extra support against Hamas. He also again asked that Israel release Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti from jail, where he is serving five consecutive life terms for terrorist murder.