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Last update - 00:17 01/01/2009
High alert over Hezbollah plans to attack Israelis abroad
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Imad Mughniyah, Hezbollah 

Security services are on high alert due to concrete intelligence that Hezbollah is in advanced stages of preparing an attack against Israelis abroad to avenge the killing of one of the group's top leaders, Imad Mughniyeh, who was killed in a car bomb in Damascus last February.

The Counter-Terrorism Bureau issued a severe travel warning on Sunday for Israelis abroad, two weeks ahead of the one-year year anniversary of the assassination.

"Hezbollah appears to be prepared to carry out a serious attack in the form of an assassination or a kidnapping of an Israeli target, including abroad," the bureau said in a statement. "This threatens every Israeli, especially senior figures."
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The Counter-Terrorism Bureau, which is based in the Prime Minister's Office, described the threat as "concrete and at the highest level."

The organization has updated its instructions for Israelis traveling abroad, calling on Israelis to be vigilant and pay attention to any situations that seem odd. It also recommends that Israelis not stay in Arab or Muslim countries and advises refusing offers from suspicious
or unknown characters, refraining from gathering with friends in crowded areas, and avoiding routine patterns.

Hezbollah is committed to avenging Mughnieyeh's death, but does not want to cause an incident that could lead to renewed fighting with Israel, Military Intelligence chief Amos Yadlin told the cabinet on Sunday.

"Hezbollah is still restrained and deterred," he said. "On the other hand, it is committed to carrying out an attack to avenge Mughniyeh, and will try to carry out an attack that will avoid renewed fighting. We are in an especially sensitive period in this context."

Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Israel was "following developments in Hezbollah that are linked to the possibility that they would carry out an attack connected with Mughniyeh."

"The one-year anniversary of this event is approaching," he told the cabinet. "I am not sure that the specific date is binding, and an attack can occur before or after, but there is no doubt that Hezbollah intends to take action."

The leader of the Lebanon-based militant organization, Hassan Nasrallah, on Thursday accused Israel's Mossad espionage agency of being behind the 2008 assassination of Mughniyah.

The reclusive Nasrallah said this was the conclusion of an investigation into the car bombing in Damascus that killed Mughniyah, who was on the U.S. most-wanted list for attacks on Israeli and Western targets.

"The day won't come when we'll put the blood vengeance for the martyr Mughniyah behind us," said Nasrallah, vowing that his organization would avenge the assignation.

Israel has never claimed for claimed responsibility for killing Mughniyah.

On Wednesday, Channel 2 quoted security officials as saying that a massive terror attack against an Israeli target in Europe has been thwarted in recent weeks.

The attack, linked to Hezbollah, was foiled thanks to intelligence sharing between Israel and an undisclosed European country.

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      1.   who says we must play by their rules. should know we`ll attack 00:39  |  ralph 01/01/09
      2.   Can Israel not make clear the consequences(if any) to Hezballah 00:54  |  Alan SA 01/01/09
      3.   Did anyone tell Peres. He thinks hizbolla was taught a lesson 00:14  |  Pronsias 01/01/09
      4.   Israelies in the USA 00:15  |  Steven 01/01/09
      5.   "Undisclosed country"? 00:00  |  sh 01/01/09
      6.   Hezboolah pallning 00:19  |  citizen of the world 01/01/09
      7.   Hezbollah has an excuse now! 00:53  |  Maria 01/01/09
      8.   Real revenge? Endless paranoia 00:15  |  Ben 01/01/09
      9.   #6 citizen - Hezbollah is doing all the talking 00:37  |  *BEN JABO 01/01/09
      10.   This "eye for an eye" nonsense should stop, NOW ! 00:25  |  Benjamina 01/01/09
      11.   Hezbollahs`s plans to attack Israelis abroad 00:20  |  ben kobi 01/01/09
      12.   Still Pretty Drafty In Nasrallah`s Former Forbidden City 00:25  |  Lavi 01/01/09
      13.   As expected 00:26  |  MichaelF 01/01/09
      14.   The Government of Lebanon is responsible 00:41  |  MJ 01/01/09
      15.   "Avenge"? No, Hezbollah out to commit war crimes 00:32  |  Joe Sittizen 01/01/09
      16.   Stuttering typo 00:15  |  Shlomo 01/01/09
      17.   Outnumbered we are, so now what..? 00:43  |  Stephen. 01/01/09
      18.   #10, eye for eye is history. Unproportionality is king! 00:45  |  fritz t. 01/01/09
      19.   THREATS??? #17 Stephen 00:48  |  uio 01/01/09
      20.   Ohh pleast stay on alert 00:05  |  Nadine 01/01/09
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