An exiled Hamas leader in Lebanon denied on Sunday that the ties between the Islamic movement and Egypt had strained following recent Cairo arrests of some members of Lebanon's pro-Hamas Shiite armed group Hezbollah.

Osama Hamdan said in a statement sent to reporters that "Hamas movement has never been one day an element that spoils Egypt's national security."

Egypt has reportedly slammed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah as a war criminal who should be put on trial after he admitted on Friday that his militants in Cairo were helping Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip.

Egypt's media had revealed that the country's security forces arrested several suspects, including Lebanese and Palestinians who were planning to smuggle weapons to the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

"Hamas movement is a movement of resistance that wants to defeat the military occupation and liberate Palestine. Egypt is part of the constituents to do this mission," said Hamdan.

He added that "Hamas movement has been always keen for Egypt's security and settlement. The only party which always plans to harm Egypt's security is the Zionist occupation."

The Egyptian security forces had recently carried out a tight campaign near its borders with the Gaza Strip, saying it arrested several Egyptians who cooperated with Hamas movement and tried to send money and arms.

"Hamas focuses its activities on fighting the (Israeli) occupation, and we understand very well that its real depth is the Arab and Moslem nations who support our armed resistance," said Hamdan.