He and other political figures said the responsibility for attacks was left in the hands of the military wing.

On the positive side, its leaders can claim credit for effectively having given up their military wing.

They saw themselves as the military wing of the Democratic Party.

It is not like they are the military wing of a democratic resistance movement.

Feeling increasingly under threat, most political parties formed their own military wing.

The military wing of Hamas claims responsibility for the attack.

"The only people who would know would be the military wing," he said.

There is no difference between the political and military wings of Hamas, as they themselves say.

Yet the military wing, too, has been beset with pressures for change.

Islamic Jihad said four of the dead belonged to its military wing.