Despite judicial decision, Palestinian police refuse to free El-Rantisi

The Palestinian police refused to free the spokesman of Hamas in Gaza, Abdul Aziz El-Rantisi, despite the central court's decision in Gaza yesterday to release him on bail of 3,000 shekels ($700) until the end of his trial, whose date is not yet determined.

Ahmed El-Rantisi, son of the Hamas official, said yesterday that officials in the Palestinian police informed him that his father was not released yesterday because of new charges against him, and he urged the Paestinian National Authority to free his father in implementation of the court's decision.

The Palestinian police arrested El-Rantisi (52) for making press statements that were considered by the Palestinian government as being false and aimed at terrifying the citizens.