Gaza youth 'corrupted' by aphrodisiac chewing gum

Israel finds Hamas claim hard to swallow

By Lester Haines • Get more from this author

Posted in Bootnotes, 15th July 2009 12:13 GMT

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An Israeli military source has dismissed Hamas claims that its intelligence service is offloading aphrodisiac chewing gum on Gaza Strip youth in some form of cunning sex-based plan to destabilise the Palestinian territory.

Hamas spokesman Islam Shahwan said: "We have discovered two types of stimulants that were introduced into the Gaza Strip from Israeli border crossings. The first type is presented in the form of chewing gum and the second in the form of drops."

According to AFP, a Hamas dragnet to capture those responsible for the distribution of the aphrogum began when a Palestinian man reported his daughter had suffered "dubious side effects" from the sinister chewable.

Cops subsequently cuffed members of a gang who apparently helped get the products into Gaza and "admitted during the investigation they were linked to the Zionist intelligence services".

Shahwan insisted: "The intelligence services are aiming to corrupt the young generation by distributing these products among students."

The Israeli military declined to comment officially, but one source described Hamas's claim as "absurd". ®