Posted on 01/14/2002 9:11:24 PM PST by consrv_at_IsraelForum_dot_com
Washington — U.S. intelligence agencies helped Israel track down a ship bound for Palestinian-ruled territory carrying a large cache of arms allegedly obtained from Iran, The Washington Times reported on Tuesday.
Citing unnamed U.S. intelligence officials, the newspaper said Israel approached the CIA last month with a request for help in locating a vessel carrying 50 tonnes of arms believed destined for the Palestinian Authority. The arms shipment was seized by Israel in the Red Sea on Jan. 3.
The Washington Times reported that U.S. intelligence agencies, using various high-tech intelligence gathering means, were able to identify the ship near Iran's Kish Island, about 18 kilometres off the Iranian coast.
Israel said the ship, the Karine-A, was carrying rockets, anti-tank missiles, small arms and explosives.
Quoting intelligence officials, the newspaper report said many of the weapons were identified as coming from Iranian production facilities.
U.S. intelligence officials told the newspaper the U.S. assistance was considered vital in Israeli military efforts to identify the vessel carrying the weapons.
"Our assistance was crucial," one U.S. official was quoted as saying.
Israeli officials said the arms were loaded off Kish Island on the night of Dec. 11-12 with help from the Iranian-backed Lebanese guerrilla group Hizbollah.
Iran on Monday denied any link to the Palestinian Authority and called for an investigation of Israeli claims of Iranian involvement in an attempt to smuggle weapons to the Palestinians.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon earlier accused Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat of ordering the arms but the Palestinian Authority denied any link and has ordered its own inquiry into the cache, which officials say could have sparked a major escalation in the Mideast conflict.
Glad to see my US tax dollars being used for a most excellent cause.
anyways, I'm glad we helped Israel
But, yes, we heard reports on this all along.
"I knew nothing" said Arafat "I was President of Argentina that day"
It's good to know that our people are skilled and well equiped.
Does this mean America will stop using political muscle to block Israeli arms deals so that American defense companies can jump in after failing to win against their Israeli counterparts (see Turkey)?
Probably not.
Now, I ain't one to b@%ch, because I think 'between friends' it okay to maneuver a bit (the world isn't black and white) just as long as we keep it all in perspective and rememeber who are real friends are. The ones who would bleed side by side with us when the day comes... and it will...
And btw, on a side not, if Israel can make a bit of money to help them out after the Palestinians launched the Oslo War, and at the same time the worlds largest Democracy can aquire some AWACS and Arrows to help them defend against the Islamic Bomb, I'm all for it...
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