Jordan allegation that Hamas meant to attack it

Jordan's security forces found new quantities of weapons in a village north of Jordan, spokesperson of the government Nasser Judeh announced today.

"The security apparatus seized weapons, TNT explosives, T4, and missiles to target some foundations and a number of officials," he added.

This comes as a New York Times report today said speaking about activists and the weapons found in Jordan had come from Syria "there was no proof that Damascus condoned such activities."

The New York Times report said "a group of Hamas militants arrested last week were close to staging attacks inside the kingdom" adding that the orders for the attack came "from the Palestinian group's Syrian-based leadership." The report did not clarify the basis on which this claim was based, that Hamas leadership in Syria ordered such an attack.

Hamas leadership in Syria would be a reference to Khaled Mashaal, the Hamas political leader exiled from Jordan and living in Syria. In 1997, Mashaal while living in Jordan escaped an assassination attempt by the Israeli intelligence.

The New York Times report noted that some have suspicion about such Jordanian accusations adding that "In Gaza, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri denied the charges, saying the group did not have any armed group 'either in Jordan or in any other country.'"