Nine terror cells threaten flights at Ben-Gurion

IMRA ^ | February 20, 2004 | Maariv

[yonif]

Palestinian terrorist organizations have been making great efforts to attack flights at Ben Gurion Airport. To date, the Israeli security services have prevented nine attempts to down flights taking-off or landing at the airport.

These attempts are behind Israel's insistence on building an extension of the counter-terrorism barrier that is designed to protect the airport from the east and prevent shoulder-fired missiles or other weapons from being aimed at flights, similar to the Al Qaeda attempt to down an Arkia flight in Kenya.

Security officials predict that a successful attack or even an attempt that reaches the final stages would have a devastating affect on the Israeli economy by paralyzing civil aviation and halting incoming tourism. Their information indicates that some Palestinian organizations, especially the Palestinian Authority, are also aware of this. Therefore, they are also interested in preventing an attack on civil aviation for fear that if would lead to total escalation of tensions in the region.

Israel explained to the American delegation, which came to inspect security at Ben-Gurion, that the threats on flights come mostly from the Hezbollah and Iranian-influenced opposition groups. Israel and the United States disagree about the need for extending the barrier near the airport. Israel claims that there is a real risk to civil aviation while the Americans disagree and consider the risk to be minimal. A senior IDF officer who accompanied the delegation discounted the American calculation by explaining that they consider the risk to a specific flight while Israel calculated the overall risk to all flights.

[yonif]

Israel and the United States disagree about the need for extending the barrier near the airport. Israel claims that there is a real risk to civil aviation while the Americans disagree and consider the risk to be minimal.

[Piranha]

When senior US officials land in Israel, do they fly into Ben Gurion or is there a special airstrip for governmental use?

[yonif]

Ben Gurion most likely.

The US should not be lecturing Israel about security against terror, in my opinion.

[spyone]

Agreed.

[rogator]

Its an Israeli airport. Why does the US have anything to say about it?

[tubavil]

Security officials predict that a successful attack or even an attempt that reaches the final stages would have a devastating affect on the Israeli economy...

The current 27% unemployment rate due to arab/muslim terrorism is perfectly acceptable though...