Military Intelligence: Al-Qaeda Sent to Lebanon to Attack UNIFIL, Iran Rearming Hizbullah, Hamas Is Strengthening

[Ha'aretz] Gideon Alon - The head of IDF Military Intelligence, Maj.-Gen. Amos Yadlin, told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Tuesday: "Between several dozen and several hundred al-Qaeda activists have arrived in Lebanon from Iraq and Pakistan, in accordance with instructions from the group's leadership to deploy in Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt in order to carry out terror attacks." He added that the targets could be UNIFIL and other Western interests. He said a small number of al-Qaeda operatives had infiltrated Gaza, and a few have been found in Nablus in the West Bank. According to Yadlin, Hizbullah has not left southern Lebanon and arms transfers from Syria are continuing apace, It is currently focused on rehabilitating its strength with the help of large quantities of arms from Iran. Yadlin said Hamas' financial situation is improving, along with its standing in relation to Fatah, adding that Hamas members have received training in Syria and Iran. He said Fatah incurred most of the casualties during the recent Palestinian clashes in Gaza, but Fatah remains the main power broker in the West Bank. Yadlin said 77 Palestinian suicide bombers were arrested in 2006, 45 of whom were en route to an attack. Terrorists fired 1,200 Kassam rockets at Israel in 2006, 700 of which hit populated areas.


2007-01-10 01:00:00

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