Egypt court bans Hamas' armed wing, designates as 'terrorist organisation'

Palestinian faction Hamas on Saturday slammed a decision by an Egyptian court to designate its military arm, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, a "terrorist organisation".

"This is a dangerous decision that only serves the best interests of Israel," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told the Anadolu Agency.

He described the court verdict as "politically motivated", reiterating that his movement does not interfere in Egypt's internal affairs.

Earlier on Saturday, an Egyptian court declared the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades a "terrorist organization".

The Court of Urgent Matters said the brigades were involved in "several terrorist operations, the latest of which was an attack on a security checkpoint in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula on the border with the Gaza Strip in October, in which 31 soldiers were killed."

The verdict came after Egyptian lawyer Samir Sabri filed a lawsuit accusing Hamas' armed wing of standing behind "terrorist attacks" in Egypt and "of using underground tunnels between Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and the Gaza Strip to smuggle weapons and funds."

Saturday's court ruling can be challenged within 15 days.

Egyptian media accuse Hamas, an ideological offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, the group from which ousted president Mohamed Morsi hails, of standing behind the violence in Sinai.

The Palestinian faction has, however, repeatedly denied these accusations, saying it cannot act against Egypt's national security.

A number of Hamas members have been among the defendants in two trials that Morsi – a Muslim Brotherhood leader – currently faces for alleged espionage and jailbreak.

Saturday's verdict came two days after a series of attacks that targeted military and security sites in North Sinai left at least 30 people dead.

The attacks were claimed by Ansar Beit al-Maqdis militant group, which changed its name to Welayat Sinai ("State of Sinai") last year when it swore allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, which has overrun vast territories in both Iraq and Syria.