Cyprus warns spy case threatens ties with "Israel"… (1)
"Cyprus Defense Minister Yiannakis Omirou warned Monday that the case of two "Israelis" detained on suspicion of spying could have a serious impact on relations as officials ruled out any possibility of a negotiated release. "If they are proven to be agents of ("Israel's" foreign intelligence service) the Mossad, then there is a certainty that there will be consequences for relations between the two countries," Omirou said in an interview with Cyprus public radio from Athens. "Certainly this is something which worries us especially in the context of the "Israeli"-Turkish military alliance which provides for the exchange of intelligence between the general staffs of the two countries," he said. Greek-Cypriot politicians have expressed great concern about a series of military cooperation agreements "Israel" has signed since February 1996 with Turkey, which controls the north of the divided east Mediterranean island. The leader of Omirou's EDEK socialist party, Vassos Lyssarides, a prominent hawk behind the government, was more direct in his accusations against the Jewish state".

"I believe this is a spying case -- what else could it be for heaven's sake -- and that those for whom the "Israeli" agents were working was certainly "Israel" and as a consequence Turkey," he told reporters. Udi Argov, 37, and Igal Damari, 49, were arrested after a midnight raid Friday on a flat in the village of Zygi on the south coast of Cyprus. They were remanded in custody for eight days on Saturday on suspicion of spying against the country's National Guard. Cypriot officials ruled out the possibility of a negotiated release for the two men as promised by "Israeli" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the weekend. "The position is that the file must be completed and I don't think that the police have the possibility in this case of releasing anybody without instructions from the proper authorities that is (myself)," said Attorney General Alecos Markides. Omirou vowed that "in no circumstances will political considerations be taken into account. "And Justice Minister Nicos Koshis denied that "Israel" had even made any representations for the men's release."

"No-one has said they should be released and none has come to the ministry to intervene on their behalf because there is justice in Cyprus and there is an investigation," he said. "We have equipment of new technology and the law will take its course and if they are guilty then there is a due legal process." The "Israeli" prime minister had promised to secure the men's release and the Hebrew press reported that "Israeli" Attorney General Eliyakim Rubinstein was personally directing diplomatic efforts. "Every "Israeli" citizen is important to us. We will look into this and will certainly bring them home," Netanyahu said. The comments sparked anger in Cyprus with the island's second largest party describing them as "provocative and unacceptable." "They are an indication of the mentality which characterizes the "Israeli" government," said the communist party AKEL which regularly wins 33 percent of the vote and holds 19 seats in the 56-member parliament.

"In developing their "ethno-bomb", "Israeli" scientists are trying to exploit medical advances by identifying distinctive genes carried by some Arabs, then create a genetically modified bacterium or virus."

"The intention is to use the ability of viruses and certain bacteria to alter the DNA inside their host's living cells. The scientists are trying to engineer deadly micro-organisms that attack only those bearing the distinctive genes.

The programme is based at the biological institute in Nes Tziyona, the main research facility for "Israel's" clandestine arsenal of chemical and biological weapons."

"A scientist there said the task was hugely complicated because both Arabs and Jews are of semitic origin. But he added: "They have, however, succeeded in pinpointing a particular characteristic in the genetic profile of certain Arab communities, particularly the Iraqi people." The disease could be spread by spraying the organisms into the air or putting them in water supplies."

"The research mirrors biological studies conducted by South African scientists during the apartheid era and revealed in testimony before the truth and reconciliation commission."

"The idea of a Jewish state conducting such research has already provoked outrage in some quarters because of parallels with the genetic experiments of Dr Josef Mengele, the Nazi scientist at Auschwitz."

"Dedi Zucker, a member of knesset, the "Israeli" parliament, denounced the research yesterday. "Morally, based on our history, and our tradition and our experience, such a weapon is monstrous and should be denied," he said.

"Some experts said that although the concept of an ethnically targeted weapon was feasible, the practical aspects of creating one were enormous."

"Dr Daan Goosen, head of a South African chemical and biological warfare plant, said his team was ordered in the 1980s to develop a "pigmentation weapon" to target only black people. He said the team discussed spreading a disease in beer, maize or even vaccinations but never managed to develop one."

"The "ethno-bomb" claims have been given further credence in Foreign Report, a Jane's publication that closely monitors security and defence matters. It reports unnamed South African sources as saying "Israeli" scientists have used some of the South African research in trying to develop an "ethnic bullet" against Arabs".

"It also says "Israelis" discovered aspects of the Arab genetic make-up by researching on "Jews of Arab origin, especially Iraqis".

"The British Medical Association has become so concerned about the lethal potential of genetically based biological weapons that it has opened an investigation, which is due to report in January."

"Dr Vivienne Nathanson, who organised the research, said: "With an ethnically targeted weapon, you could even hit groups within a population. The history of warfare, in which many conflicts have an ethnic factor, shows us how dangerous this could be."

"Porton Down, Britain's biological defence establishment, said last week that such weapons were theoretically possible. "We have reached a point now where there is an obvious need for an international convention to control biological weapons," said a spokesman."

Additional reporting: Matthew Campbell in Washington, Hugh McManners

Sidon clerics slam "Israel's" shrine claim Jewish influence over prayer hall long since disappeared… (1)
"A report carried by the "Israeli" newspaper Maariv that "Israel" had contacted the British government to inspect a biblical shrine near Sidon, has stirred angry reactions from Muslim officials in the city."

"According to the newspaper, "Israel" says that the domed shrine contains the grave of Zevolon bin Yaacoub, one of Prophet Yaccoub’s 12 sons, and has appealed to the British Foreign Office to contact its embassy in Beirut to inspect the site."

"But the Islamic Waqf, or religious endowment authority, said Tuesday that the grave in question was that of a Muslim prophet and had belonged to the Waqf for more than 200 years."

“We have deeds to prove it,” Sheikh Salim Soussane, the head of the Islamic Waqf in Sidon, told The Daily Star. “Local residents have been renovating the shrine for the past few weeks. They have planted trees and are rebuilding the road leading to it.”

“The Islamic Waqf approved these renovation works, which have been financed by the residents themselves. We wonder how "Israel" dares to claim that it belongs to them when it has been occupying the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem which belongs to millions of Muslims?” he inquired.

"The man responsible for the upkeep of the shrine, Mohammed Awkal, said Muslims had used it as a place of worship since before most of Lebanon’s Jewish community left the country in the 1940s." “Muslims used to hold Friday prayers there. People would bring food and spend the day at the shrine".

The shrine consists of a domed one-room mausoleum standing on an area of land covering some 2,000 square meters.

Lebanese researchers insist that the man buried in the shrine is not Zevolon bin Yaacoub, the son of Prophet Yaacoub, but Sidoun bin Yaacoub, a Muslim holy man.

“Zevolon bin Yaacoub was killed in the 40-year exodus from Egypt in the desert. Youshaa bin Noun and Caleb bin Youhanna were the only survivors of the apostles’ descent,” researchers Ahmad Bashir, Walid Hashisho and Joseph Abboud write in their book entitled “Sidon’s Archeological Sites”.

The Sunni Mufti of Southern Lebanon, Sheikh Mohammed Salim Jalaleddine told The Daily Star that "Israel's" claims to the property were baseless.

“We have documents to prove that the shrine belongs to the Islamic Waqf. The "Israeli" allegations are utter lies and we should be aware of such maneuvers,” Sheikh Jalaleddine said.

“I have called on in the past and I renew my call now for the Lebanese government to confiscate the property of Lebanese Jews who hold "Israeli" citizenship, because they are now fighting against Muslims.

“Since 1948, "Israel" has confiscated the properties of many Lebanese in occupied Palestine,” Sheikh Jalaleddine said.

"Israelis" charged with spying on Cyprus… (1)
("Cyprus on Friday formally charged two "Israeli" nationals with spying for an unnamed foreign country on the militarily divided eastern Mediterranean island. In a case which has strained Cyprus-"Israel" relations, Udi Hargov, 37, and Igal Damary, 49, were accused of conspiracy to spy and possession of banned listening equipment. The two countries enjoy close relations, but, in an indication of how determined Cyprus is to clear the case up, the court in the southern port of Larnaca on Friday rejected an official request from the "Israeli" government to release the suspects on bail in the care of the "Israeli" embassy in Nicosia. "With the intent of harming the safety or the interests of the Cyprus Republic, the accused collected information on the defense of the republic and passed this information on to a foreign country," an investigating officer told the court. Defense lawyers had brought the consul at the "Israeli" embassy, Michel Harel, to vouch for the two suspects. "As a representative of the "Israeli" embassy and the state of "Israel", we undertake the obligation that the two suspects appear in the court whenever requested," Harel told the court. The request was hotly contested by public prosecutors, who expressed concern that the accused could take flight (…). Judge Tefkros Economou sided with prosecutors. "Under the circumstances and with all respect to the consul of "Israel" and his good intent, the purpose can be secured only through detention by Cyprus authorities," he said. "Israel" has denied the two men were working against Cyprus or for Turkey, which invaded northern Cyprus in 1974 after a brief Greek-inspired coup. The two suspects were arrested at a village on the island's southern coast on November 7 after reports of suspect "Israeli" activity in the area. Police said high-tech listening equipment was found at their rented apartment, tuned in to police radio frequencies."

"Spying carries a maximum sentence upon conviction of 10 years in prison under Cyprus law. The two suspects were not obliged to answer the charges, which were translated to them in Hebrew from Greek by an interpreter. Standing at the dock in court on Friday, they just nodded when asked if they understood the accusations. Police said the alleged offences were committed between October 15 and November 6. The first date refers to another visit of the pair to Cyprus, during a large-scale military exercise with Greek and Cypriot armed forces. The region is said to be militarily sensitive and is suspected of being the site of a new Cypriot naval base. The case has fanned imaginations on the island, with media speculation ranging from the "Israelis" being spies for Turkey, to them snooping on the military in an attempt to gauge when the island will take delivery of a purchase of surface-to-air missiles from Russia. Turkey has vowed to prevent deployment of the missiles, the arrival date of which is a closely guarded secret."

Mossad operations chief quits over Cyprus fiasco
"The chief of the operations branch at "Israel's" Mossad intelligence service has resigned following a bungled mission in which two of the agency's men were arrested in Cyprus, the Haaretz newspaper reported Tuesday. The newspaper's military correspondent said the official, who can only be identified by his first initial, Y, handed in his resignation last week and it was accepted by Mossad director Ephraim Halevi. The two "Israelis" were arrested on November 7 near the southern coast of Cyprus and were charged with spying on sensitive military installations in the area… According to the Haaretz, Y had planned to retire even before the Cyprus incident but moved up his resignation after taking responsibility for the bungled operation. The Cyprus fiasco was only the latest in a series of embarrassing missteps by the Mossad. A year ago two Mossad agents were caught in Amman after trying to assassinate a leading Palestinian Islamic official, Khaled Meshal, in the Jordanian capital. The agents were only released after "Israel" agreed to free the jailed spiritual leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS), Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. The Mossad's reputation was further tarnished when two of its agents were caught in Switzerland bugging the apartment in Bern of a Lebanese who they suspected was a militant. And in December 1997 a former star agent, Yehuda Gil, was arrested for having invented alarmist intelligence reports about Syria. The string of affairs led to the resignation in February of Mossad chief Danny Yatom and his replacement by Halevi, a former senior Mossad official turned diplomat"… (1)

For its part, Ha'aretz, an "Israeli" daily newspaper, dealt with the event as the following:
"Mossad chief Efraim Halevy and deputy Amiram Levin have been asked to appear before a Knesset subcommittee to testify about the agency's internal investigations and personnel changes in the wake of the arrest of two Mossad men in Cyprus nearly three weeks ago."

"The two are expected to meet with members of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Subcommittee on Security Services within a few days."

"Halevy announced this week he was accepting the resignation of Y., a senior Mossad officer whose previous attempts to resign this year were rebuffed. Y., who is reportedly eyeing several opportunities in the business world, renewed his offer to resign when the Cyprus scandal broke."

"Internal inquiries and investigations at the highest levels of the Mossad regarding the Cyprus affair reportedly paint a picture of negligence, mistakes and overconfidence. The affair is the third high-profile Mossad snafu in the last 14 months. Previously, two Mossad agents were arrested in a botched attempt to assassinate Hamas official Khaled Meshal in Amman, and four agents were arrested during an attempt to bug the telephone of a Hezbollah activist in Bern, Switzerland."

"According to foreign reports, Y. heads a Mossad unit called "Neviot" or "Ma'ayanot." Those reports indicate the unit focuses on eavesdropping, wiretapping and break-ins."

"Y. and his unit were reportedly not involved in the Meshal affair; his previous resignation offer followed the Bern fiasco. Halevy chose to keep Y. on at that point, on the grounds that the failure had not been his fault."

"But once the men known as Igal Damary and Udi Hargov joined the list of arrested Mossad agents when they were caught by Cypriot officials on Nov. 7, Y. said he was no longer willing to continue in his present post, and that he recognizes his "ministerial" responsibility for the failure."

"Y. will continue at his present post until the Mossad decides who is to replace him. One of the leading candidates for the job is Y.'s deputy"… (2)