The head of the Palestinian terror group known as the Islamic Army told Arab media on Wednesday that his group is linked ideologically to Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda global terrorist network, though there are no organizational ties at present between the two organizations.
Islamic Army leader Abu Mohammed al-Maqdisi's interview with the Al-Arabiya news network was the first time a Palestinian group had openly admitted ties to Al Qaeda.
Al-Maqdisi said his group is today active in the Gaza Strip, Judea and Samaria and even among Israeli Arabs.