Free Republic

HEZBOLLAH chief Hassan Nasrallah said overnight that his Shiite movement's guerrillas had destroyed the Israeli warship which had struck his headquarters in the southern suburbs of Beirut. "Surprises will start from now. Now, off the coast of the sea, the warship which attacked... the southern suburbs... watch it burning and drowning," he said. Israeli police said two missiles fired from the southern suburbs of Beirut had targeted an Israeli warship off the coast of the Lebanese capital.

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - Nearly 700 alleged Islamic militants have been released from jail during the past two months, Egypt's Interior Ministry said Sunday. At least 200 of the detainees were freed Saturday as a gesture to mark the Muslim feast of Eid al-Fitr, which began Sunday in Egypt and ended the holy month of Ramadan, said Montasser el-Zayat, a lawyer who specializes in cases of Islamic radicals.