Yassin: Hamas leaders will soon be in Amman

The spiritual leader of the Hamas resistance movement, Sheikh Ahmad Yassin, has said in a statement issues on Monday in the independent Jordanian weekly al-Bilad that the Jordanian authorities found weapons in the movement's offices in Amman, yet "those weapons are not violating the laws" because they are licensed by the Jordanian intelligence and by the Ministry of the Interior and intended for the personal protection of individuals.

Sheikh Yassin added that the question of the computer discs on which the Jordanian authorities claimed to have found almost 8,000 pages about Jordanian figures is "not correct."

Sheikh Yassin stressed the determination of Hamas leaders Khaled Mashaal, Mousa Abu Marzouk and Ibrahim Ghoushe to return to Jordan, adding, "They are not outlaws" and their return to Amman might be made "very soon."

He said the three men are awaiting the efforts made in Jordan to end the crisis by peaceful means.

Earlier, Jordanian political parties and trade unions strongly denounced the measures taken by the Jordanian government against Hamas at the end of August after closing five of its offices.

Simultaneously the Jordanian parliament express its backing "and complete understanding" of the intentions of these measures.