Chief Hamas aide assassinated in Syria last week?In recent days, Hamas and Islamic Jihad have reinforced the security details around their top leaders in Damascus out of fear that they will be targeted for assassination by Israel, according to Arab media reports. The reports say Hamas political bureau chief Khaled Meshal and Islamic Jihad secretary general Ramadan Shallah have altered their security routines.
Last week, a U.S.-based Syrian opposition group said that Meshal's secretary was shot and killed in broad daylight in the city of Homs in Syria. According to an article that appeared on the website of the Reform Party of Syria on Monday, Meshal's secretary Hisham al-Labadani was dragged from his car and shot to death, in what the party says some are calling a message from the regime of Syrian President Basher Assad for Hamas to halt cooperation with Iran. The article says the shooting was kept under wraps by the Assad regime for 4 days, out of fears that if it came to light it would ignite tensions with the pro-Iranian camp inside Assad's regime.
According to the Reform Party of Syria, many Mideast observers believe that Iranian influence has become so entrenched in Syria that continued bloodshed should be expected as Assad's regime attempts to dislodge them from a position of influence.
The Kuwaiti newspaper Al Rai reported in early September that Meshal left Damascus to live in Sudan at Syria's request, in a move stemming from Syria's desire to advance indirect peace talks with Israel. The paper quoted Palestinian sources stating that the move was part of a secret deal between Meshal and the Syrian authorities. Meshal has been based in Damascus since his expulsion from Jordan some ten years ago. Hamas denied the report, saying "media reports that Hamas' politburo chief, Khaled Meshal, and other members will move to Sudan are false."