North Korea has accused the West of a "sinister" plot to drag it into the Gaza conflict by saying it has forged a deal to supply missiles to Hamas.

It had been reported that Hamas was looking beyond Iran and Sudan for weapons. The North Korean regime responded yesterday, stating it was nonsense to suggest it had taken a down payment on a shipment of missiles for Hamas to replenish its arsenal.

"This is utterly baseless sophism and sheer fiction let loose by the US to isolate (North Korea) internationally," North Korea's foreign ministry said.

"Lurking behind this propaganda is a sinister intention of the US to justify its criminal acts of backing Israel."

A Western security official had told UK reporters: "Hamas is looking for ways to replenish its missiles because of the large numbers it has fired at Israel. North Korea is an obvious place to seek supplies because Pyongyang already has close ties with militant Islamist groups in the Middle East." (© Daily Telegraph, London)

Telegraph.co.uk