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| East/Subsaharan Africa |
| Missile attack on plane linked to earlier bid |
| 2002-12-02 |
| The missiles fired at an Israeli airliner in Mombasa last week have been linked to a similar attempt in Prague last year to bring down an aircraft carrying the then Israeli foreign minister, Shimon Peres, an Israeli intelligence official says. That they would try it in what is essentially a western country doesn't bode well for the future The Israeli investigation, led by the intelligence agency Mossad, has found the gas canister used in the bombing as well as witnesses who say they saw the bombers. The discarded missile launchers may also yield vital information. Israeli intelligence agents told the Hebrew daily Yediot Ahronot that the serial numbers linked them to two similar missile launchers found near a runway at Prague airport in November last year. Czech officials were convinced the missiles were part of an abortive plot to shoot down an El Al airliner carrying Mr Peres. Yediot Ahronot said the missiles in the two attacks were from the same manufacturing series of missiles made in May 1974 by the Zid factory, just outside Moscow. "Cross-referencing this new information with the intelligence services in Europe can give us a clear indication as to the identity of the organisation that committed the terror attack in Mombasa," the newspaper quoted an intelligence official as saying. At the time of the abortive plot in Prague there were suspicions in Israel that the attack had been masterminded by Hezbollah. Hezbollah would certainly have the capability to carry out these attacks, but they are too tight on the leash of the Syrians and Iranians to be allowed to carry out an action that might have negative effects on the people who write the cheques As Israel buried its three victims of the resort hotel attack, Shaul Mofaz, the country's Defence Minister, was quoted as telling cabinet colleagues: "The suspicion that al-Qaeda was involved is growing stronger, although there is no concrete evidence." |
| Posted by:Paul |
| #2 Not so much that Hezbollah is too tight on the leash, but that they and their backers have nothing in particular to gain from either attack. |
| Posted by: Francesca Alexandrovna 2002-12-03 15:47:02 |
| #1 Trying to kill Peres, the dovish former PM, sounds counterproductive enough to be a Paleo brainstorm... |
| Posted by: Frank G 2002-12-02 20:39:39 |