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Last update - 13:44 04/09/2008
Intelligence experts: Israeli embassies are new Hezbollah target
By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Hezbollah, Israel 

Israeli intelligence experts increasingly think Hezbollah is determined to attack an Israeli target - most likely Israeli embassies or officials abroad, especially in third-world countries - to avenge the assassination of one of Hezbollah's top leaders.

Another, less likely, possibility is that Hezbollah will attempt to kidnap Israeli businessmen abroad.

Israeli military and security officials told Haaretz on Tuesday night it appears that Hezbollah wants to attack Israeli targets even though several previous attempts have failed.
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Over the last few weeks, Hezbollah leaders have been taking a particularly aggressive line in public threats against Israel, saying such attacks would be in revenge for Imad Mughniyah's assassination and to "liberate the Shaba Farms," an area along the northern border that Israel refers to as Har Dov. The Lebanese Shi'ite group blames the Mossad for the February explosion that killed Mughniyah in Damascus.

U.S. television stations, basing their information on American intelligence sources, reported in mid-June that a Hezbollah cell had been caught collecting information on Israeli targets in Canada, including the Israeli Embassy in Ottawa.

Israeli security officials at embassies and consulates abroad have been on high alert since Mughniyah's death.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak called on Israelis to heed terror threats when heading out of the country.

"There have been quite a few alerts in the last few weeks, and there were several very important deflections [of planned attacks]," Barak said during a visit to an Israel Defense Forces base in the Negev. "I can only tell Israeli citizens once more: Being Israeli is a responsibility, and we must take seriously the counterterrorism unit's warnings, especially ahead of the holidays regarding trips to Sinai, but also other places. Use your common sense."

Barak did not provide further details about the thwarted Hezbollah attacks, and a defense source told Haaretz that the time was not yet ripe to elaborate.

"The time has not yet come to release all of Hezbollah's plans that have been foiled recently," the defense source said. "It's not just that we've warned a few businessmen not to be tempted by offers that were liable to end in abductions. A lot of preventative activities are being undertaken, at various levels, and their result so far is that there have not been any terror attacks  but the danger has not passed."

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  • PMO: Hezbollah plans to kidnap Israelis abroad

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      1.   This one`s for you Northern Neighbor 05:59  |  Conroy 03/09/08
      2.   IT DOES NOT TAKE INTELLIGENCE TO FIGURE THAT OUT;IT ONLY TAKES A 06:06  |  glenna 03/09/08
      3.   thwarting attacks 08:20  |  EZ 03/09/08
      4.   #3, "make the price of any attempt prohibitively high" 09:09  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 03/09/08
      5.   Thank you Conroy 09:23  |  northern neighbor 03/09/08
      6.   Don`t be stupid Israel 10:07  |  someone 03/09/08
      7.   to #1 Copy&Paste conroy 10:10  |  someone 03/09/08
      8.   Lebanon is Iran`s dog 10:14  |  Gregor 03/09/08
      9.   Withdraw from Shaaba and maybe Nasrallah will call it off 10:18  |  Natallie Durson 03/09/08
      10.   NORTHEN Neighbour."Defend"?? Lebanon attacked Israel in 1948.! 11:36  |  PETER SM 03/09/08
      11.   To Connroy Hezb does not take order from Iran 11:53  |  gus 03/09/08
      12.   Thanks for the warning 13:06  |  Ivor Biggun 03/09/08
      13.   A Just peace 13:17  |  Jackie 03/09/08
      14.   GUS "he who pays the piper--" Why do YOU think 13:21  |  PETER SM 03/09/08
      15.   Syira & Iran will regret this decision 13:29  |  zionist forever 03/09/08
      16.   Slight regard 13:36  |  Natallie Durson 03/09/08
      17.   Gus dignity equates to destroyed countryside 13:59  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 03/09/08
      18.   Arab Amnesia 14:05  |  Rick & TC 03/09/08
      19.   Stop the Apartheid OCCUPATION, and cease being a target 14:59  |  Ivar 03/09/08
      20.   Natallie LOL! Nasrullah shows this slight regard by hiding. 15:08  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 03/09/08
      21.   IVAR stop the slogans &listen to what Iran,Nasrallah & Hamas say 15:53  |  PETER SM 03/09/08
      22.   Margie in Tel Aviv 16:05  |  Natallie Durson 03/09/08
      23.   So, U.S. communicates with the Hizbul when... 16:16  |  Magnify 03/09/08
      24.   Retaliate Heavily Against Syria 16:27  |  Josh 03/09/08
      25.   EXPERTS, WHAT EXPERTS? 16:56  |  indrajaya 03/09/08
      26.   PETER SM if israel have nothing to do with lebanon 17:11  |  delta 03/09/08
      27.   17th March 1992 17:12  |  Argentinian 03/09/08
      28.   Gloomy Gus and Iran`s Hesbulloh 17:27  |  Big Sur 03/09/08
      29.   attack on embassy is an attack on the country 17:38  |  vik 03/09/08
      30.   Hit Hezbollah Official all over the world 17:43  |  Gabriel 03/09/08
      31.   delta Israel did nothing about the Litani after winning in 1948 18:09  |  PETER SM 03/09/08
      32.   Durson got it wrong # 9 19:25  |  Sabra 03/09/08
      33.   natalie again # 22 19:30  |  sabra 03/09/08
      34.   It only takes an RPG to brake all security measures. 21:21  |  Fortuna Benmayor 03/09/08
      35.   What`s "new" after Buenos Aires 1992? 21:24  |  Fortuna Benmayor 03/09/08
      36.   there is a way to deal with hezbollah 21:33  |  zionist forever 03/09/08
      37.   Hey patsie israel leaders, how about bringing the ball into Hizba 21:52  |  o. ffense 4 once 03/09/08
      38.   Apparently Haaretz does not like anything really pro Israel 22:16  |  Big Sur 03/09/08
      39.   flatening the iranian embassy in beirut 23:09  |  george 03/09/08
      40.   Why doesn`t Israel play offensively 23:49  |  Anybody? 03/09/08
      41.   Hezbollah 00:03  |  RepublicanStones 04/09/08
      42.   #7 someone 00:23  |  Conroy 04/09/08
      43.   #5 Your welcome Northern Neighour 00:33  |  Conroy 04/09/08
      44.   Bonjour Conroy 08:15  |  northern neighbor 04/09/08
      45.   36-37-39-40 08:44  |  northern neighbor 04/09/08
      46.   Headline lacking in memory 12:01  |  Sally Forth 09/09/08
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