Thursday
Mar262009
CBS says Israel, not US, behind Sudan strike
Issandr El Amrani
More on that alleged air strike in Sudan targeting weapons shipments to Gaza:
- The Sudan Tribune said yesterday it was the US, but today that it's Israel based on a report by the American TV network CBS.
- Haaretz carries the CBS story and says it's part of the MOU on arms smuggling inked between the US and Israel at the end of Operation Cast Lead. The Haaretz article adds:
One interesting thing in the Sudan Tribune article is that it said something about the planes coming from Djibouti. That would put the French on the suspect list too!
At least it now appears that an air strike did happen (although casualty reports are around 40, not 300) - and confirms the reports from intelligence circles that the smuggling route for Hamas' weapons is indeed from or through Sudan, through Egypt (a whole other story: how do they keep under the radar, especially in Sinai?), possibly originating from the horn of Africa.
- The Sudan Tribune said yesterday it was the US, but today that it's Israel based on a report by the American TV network CBS.
- Haaretz carries the CBS story and says it's part of the MOU on arms smuggling inked between the US and Israel at the end of Operation Cast Lead. The Haaretz article adds:
Meanwhile, in May, an international conference is scheduled to take place in Ottawa, the third of its kind since the end of Operation Cast Lead, which will discuss how to prevent arms smuggling from Iran to the Gaza Strip.
In addition to host Canada, Britain, Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Denmark, the U.S. and Israel will also take part.
Immediately after the conference a "war game" is scheduled to take place in Washington, with the participation of security officials and diplomats from the countries involved. The "war game" will practice a scenario of foiling arms smuggling from Iran to the Gaza Strip.
The most recent conference took place in London a week ago and the countries cooperating in blocking the arms smuggling from Iran formulated a joint plan of operations. The plan includes the signing of a series of bilateral agreements with countries situated along the path of the smugglers, as well as countries whose commercial fleets carry cargo from Iran elsewhere.
One interesting thing in the Sudan Tribune article is that it said something about the planes coming from Djibouti. That would put the French on the suspect list too!
At least it now appears that an air strike did happen (although casualty reports are around 40, not 300) - and confirms the reports from intelligence circles that the smuggling route for Hamas' weapons is indeed from or through Sudan, through Egypt (a whole other story: how do they keep under the radar, especially in Sinai?), possibly originating from the horn of Africa.
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