Hamas official detained by Israel taken to hospital

JERUSALEM, Aug 7 (Reuters) The speaker of the Palestinian parliament, Aziz Dweik, who was detained by Israel today, was taken to hospital on Monday with heart pains and breathing problems, Dweik's spokesman said.

The spokesman said the health scare was the result of Dweik being beaten by his Israeli prison guards. The Israeli army, which is holding him, denied the allegations.

''He was not beaten up by prison guards,'' an army spokesman said. ''We know he suffered from dizziness and heart pains and that is the reason he underwent medical treatment.'' Dweik, a senior member of the Hamas militant group which heads the Palestinian government, was detained at his home in the West Bank yesterday. It was not clear why.

In June, Israel detained eight members of the Palestinian cabinet and 23 deputies after gunmen from Hamas kidnapped an Israeli soldier in a raid from the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli army said Dweik had been transferred to a hospital in Jerusalem where he was receiving treatment and where he would remain until he recovered.

''He will return to prison after he is well,'' the army said.

REUTERS DH RK0200