Hamas official investigated for 'irregularities'

Hamas-run authorities in the Gaza Strip are investigating a senior member of the Palestinian Islamist movement over unspecified "irregularities", a source in the office of another senior Hamas official said Sunday. The implication of a high-ranking Hamas member in misdeeds could potentially tarnish the reputation of the Islamist group, which won a landslide victory in Palestinian elections in 2006 largely because of its reputation for honesty and incorruptibility. An official in the office of senior Hamas member Ahmad Bahar did not provide further details on the allegations or the state of the investigation into Ayman Taha, who also served as a spokesman for Hamas. But he confirmed remarks made by Bahar to Al-Ghad Al-Arabi, a pan-Arab broadcaster based in London which first reported that Taha was under investigation. "With regard to Ayman Taha there are some irregularities and the brothers are investigating and he will be held accountable like any other ordinary citizen." In a videotaped statement posted on social media, Hassan Mohammed Taha, Ayman's brother, condemned rumours of allegations as "libel and slander", saying his brother had "perhaps made mistakes, but not to the extent of the rumours". He did not say whether his brother had been detained or not. Other Palestinians sources said Taha had gone missing two weeks ago. Hamas has declined to comment on the matter.