Hamas has claimed belated responsibility for a string of terror attacks in Israel carried out several years ago.

A Hamas web site lists nine attacks that killed 26 Israelis from 2002 until 2005. Other Palestinian groups claimed responsibility for some of those attacks at the time.

The group says it kept quiet about its role until now for security reasons. The web site says all the attackers came from the West Bank.

It was not immediately clear whether Hamas really did commit all of those attacks. But the announcement suggested they want to emphasize the role of their West Bank operatives.

The period between 2002 and 2005 was the height of the second intifada. Bus bombings, shootings and other attacks frequently took place during that time.