Jordan expels Hamas leaders to Qatar

The Jordanian government on Sunday evening expelled several leaders of the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement who had been detained in Jordan.

An official statement released by the Jordanian Cabinet said that the government has decided to close the file of the Hamas movement and to release the detainees and that King Abdullah, of Jordan decided to "close the file of this cause and release the detainees," adding that in light of contacts between King Abdullah and Sheikh Hamad Bin Khaleifa al-Thani, the ruler of Qatar, several members of the Hamas movement left Amman on Sunday evening for Qatar.

The statement added that in light of the talks held between King Abdullah and Sheikh Hamad and the response of Sheikh Hamad to their request, several of the Hamas detainees left for Qatar. They are Khaled Mashaal, Ibrahim Ghoshe, Izzat al-Rashq and Sami Khater.

The statement added that the Jordanian government realizes the right of the Hamas movement to practice its activities the way it sees it proper, but it will not accept the presence of any political or media bureau for the Hamas movement in Jordan.