Iranian news site plagiarizes WND

An Iranian news website plagiarized a WND article that broke the story two weeks ago of Hamas seizing stockpiles of CIA documents during their takeover of the Gaza Strip.

The Iranian site copied WND text, re-wrote quotes and even mixed up terror groups.

WND's Aaron Klein reported on June 14 that upon taking control of the Gaza Strip, terrorist groups, including Hamas and the Popular Resistance Committees, seized large quantities of CIA security files stored at major compounds of militias associated with the U.S.-backed Fatah organization of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

The terror leaders claimed the files contained, among other information, details of CIA networks in the Middle East.

(Story continues below)

Hours after the events, WND quoted Abu Abdullah, a senior member of Hamas' so-called military wing, and Muhammad Abdel-El, a spokesperson and leader of the Popular Resistance Committees terror group, detailing the CIA documents they obtained during Hamas' coup in Gaza.

Abdel El told WND the seized CIA files include "documents, CDs, taped conversations and videos."

One day later, on June 15, the website of Iran's Press TV claimed an exclusive story reporting Hamas seizing CIA documents, quoting unnamed "Hamas sources" stating they removed thousands of CIA "documents, video tapes and equipment" from Abbas' compound.

Press TV bills itself as the "first international Iran-based news network to broadcast in English on a round-the-clock schedule."

The site does not recognize Israel. In one section it asks the user to choose his country. All countries are present except Israel, which is listed as "Palestine."

Abdel El told WND on June 14 the CIA files his group and Hamas obtained are "more important than all the American weapons we obtained the last two days as we took over the traitor Fatah's positions."

Press TV quotes its purported Hamas source on June 15 stating, "The dozens of armored vehicles, RPG launchers and rockets, the hundreds of thousands of bullets we have – they are all nothing compared to the documents and data discs we uncovered."

Hamas' Abu Abdullah told WND the seized documents "also detailed CIA networks in other Arab countries and how to help beat Islamic allies of Hamas in other Arab countries, including Egypt and Jordan."

The next day, Press TV quotes its "Hamas source" stating "the (CIA) documents also implicate several Arab nations of involvement in the internal Palestinian power-struggle in an attempt to impair Hamas."

Abdullah told WND, "We will use these documents and make portions public to prove the collaboration between America and traitor Arab countries."

Press TV's "Hamas source" was quoted one day later stating, once the CIA documents were released by Hamas they "would be used to prove the justness of Hamas' fight against the Palestinian security forces."

In perhaps in the most telling sign of plagiarism, Press TV re-wrote a quote obtained by WND's Klein, only it mixed up two terror groups.

On June 14, WND quoted the Popular Resistance Committees Abdel El stating he was sitting in a Gaza mosque looking through some of the files on the Committees when he found his name mentioned in the documents four times.

The next day, Press TV quotes its "Hamas source" as stating: "I saw my name appeared at least four times in the intelligence documents – related to attempts to take me out."

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