Israel detains senior Hamas leader

The Israeli military has detained senior West Bank Hamas leader, Omar Abdul Razek, after raiding his home in the city of Salfit, Hamas sources say.

The military forces attacked Razek’s home shortly after midnight and confiscated his personal computer, mobile phones and camera before leading him away.

Razek, 58, served as minister of finance in the first Hamas government. He was arrested along with most Hamas lawmakers in 2006, but released in 2009.

An Israeli military spokesman confirmed the arrest of a Hamas member in Salfit, but identified him as Omar Mahmud Matar, declining to say why he had been detained.

Israel has, in recent months, rearrested several of the dozens of Hamas lawmakers it detained in June 2006.

It arrested 64 Hamas members after the arrest of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit by Palestinian fighters in a cross border operation in June 2006.