Canadian is Hamas assassin, Israel says
Skepticism greets claim that Windsor man plotted attacks on Jews in North America. Israel says a Canadian man has confessed to being a trained assassin for Hamas with orders to kill Israeli officials and Jews in Canada and the United States, marking the first time the Palestinian terrorist group has planned attacks in North America. The statement from the Israeli embassy in Ottawa yesterday surprised Canadian officials. It was also met with deep skepticism from representatives of the Arab community in Canada, who said Hamas does not operate outside the Middle East and that such confessions are often obtained by coercion. Israeli security forces arrested Palestinian-born Jamal Akkal, 23, of Windsor, Ont., last month on suspicion of being a member of Hamas, Israeli embassy spokesman Ofir Gendelman said. Full Story