West Bank ? The Palestinian security services were behind the abductions of four local Hamas leaders from their West Bank homes, the Islamic militant group and a security official said Friday, reflecting rising tension between the group and the Palestinian Authority.

A spokesman for the security forces denied the claim, but a senior security official speaking on condition of anonymity confirmed the involvement of the security services and members of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement.

He said the abductions were meant as a warning to Hamas to lie low after a series of deadly clashes between its gunmen and police in Gaza.

The four Hamas members were taken from their homes at gunpoint Thursday night. By Friday evening three of them – a university professor from Tulkarem, a high school teacher from Nablus and a Hebron businessman – had been released.