Statement of Hamas: 9 April 1998
http://www.ict.org.il/articles/hamas_st.htm

In the name of Allah the merciful
"Allah defends the true believers, and hates the infidel traitors"
The real evidence denies the lies of the Palestinian Authority
We demand the trial of all those involved in the crime
and an apology to the people and the blood of the martyrs

Our Palestinian people, our Arab and Islamic Nation:

With supersonic speed, as fast as the PA has blamed the noble ones, the real evidence has also revealed, clear as the sun, the lies of the PA - so the truth is revealed.

The words of the commander, `Adel `Awadallah and of the family of the detained Ghassan `Adassi, have undoubtedly proved the involvement of PA security officials in the liquidation of the Martyr Muhi al-Din al-Sharif to the benefit of the Zionist enemy. Afterward they also circulated accusations against the Heroes of Qassam to pave the way for their persecution and liquidation, at the request of the enemy government and its humiliating terms.

The family of the detained Ghassan al `Adassi has testified that he did not leave his home while the criminal assassination occurred, and that his four brothers were arrested and locked in different cells and were coerced to confess to the accusations of the PA. They were threatened with being accused of cooperation with Israel if they would not comply. The family and the brothers rejected those accusations and refused to cooperate with the PA in this string of lies, despite their torture. The PA succeeded in forcing their younger brother Ghassan `Adassi to circulate the false accusations in order to minimize his torture. The family has named Jibril Rajoub, al-Tayyib `Abd al-Rahim and 'Isma`il Jabr as participating in their interrogation to force them to accept the line of the PA and its falsehoods.

In order to reveal the truth, the PA should do as follows:

   1. Immediate release of all Hamas members arrested in this case, after the truth and their innocence had been uncovered.
   2. Dismiss from its ranks all those involved in the criminal assassination of the fighter Muhi al-Din al-Sharif for the Zionist enemy, and first and foremost Jibril Rajoub.
   3. Dismiss from its ranks all those involved in the scandal of inventing accusations against the heroes of the movement, in particlular, besides Jibril Rajoub, al-Tayyib `Abd al-Rahim and Isma`il Jabr.
   4. Publish an open apology to the people for this double crime. They not only looked for the blood of the Heroes but, tried to falsify their Jihad to justify the continuance of their crimes against them.

Our Palestinian people, our Arab and Islamic nation

Our mouth will remain filled with water and we shall refrain from revealing the further facts we have, in an attempt to preserve the unity and not provide any opening for the enemy. At the same time we emphasize to the Palestinian Authority that we possess more facts and information than you can imagine in the case of the liquidation of Muhi al-Din al-Sharif and the accusation of the commander and fighter `Adel `Awadallah. But, we prefer unity to revenge and we shall bury this information in respect for of the people's blood and interest.

If the PA insists on continuing its false accusations and putting the accused on trial, it will only lead the complete Authority to be drowned in this marsh, and to lose its reputation in this scandalized case.