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Last update - 18:55 03/11/2007
Report: Syrian gov't secrecy left nuclear facility undefended by army
By Haaretz Service
tags: Syria, Israel 

The veil of secrecy in Damascus surrounding Syria's alleged nuclear facility left it vulnerable to aerial attack, Aviation Week magazine on Saturday quoted an Israeli official as saying.

According to foreign media reports, the facility was the target of an Israel Air Force strike deep inside Syrian territory in early September.

"The target was so highly classified in Damascus that the military wasn't briefed and, therefore, air defenses were unprepared," Aviation Week reported, attributing the information to an Israeli official.
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The U.S. publication said Israel used an array of sophisticated technological tools ranging from satellites to anti-electronic warfare to plan and carry out the alleged bombing of the complex in northern Syria, said to be built with the aid of North Korea.

A previous report by ABC claimed Israel had obtained detailed pictures of the Syrian complex from an apparent mole.

ABC, citing a senior U.S. official, said the person had provided several pictures of the complex from the ground, and Israel showed the images to the CIA. The U.S. spy agency helped pinpoint "drop points" to assist in potential targeting, ABC said.

Israel urged the United States to destroy the complex, but Washington hesitated because no fissionable material was found that would prove the site was nuclear, ABC said.

Related articles:
  • IDF lifts censorship of Sept. 6 IAF strike on target inside Syria
  • Netanyahu offers first confirmation of Syria operation
  • Report: Israeli mole provided photos of Syrian nuclear facility
  • Experts: Syria cleared site hit by IAF, apparently to hide evidence
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      1.   For a nuclear facility that didn`t exist 13:02  |  Yonatan 03/11/07
      2.   When is Israel going to start punishing "back channelers"? 13:06  |  S 03/11/07
      3.   #2 S 13:22  |  Yonatan 03/11/07
      4.   a joke 13:49  |  the syrian 03/11/07
      5.   It was so secret that even the Syrians did not know 13:52  |  Mordechai 03/11/07
      6.   Israel is Zubri 13:59  |  LOL 03/11/07
      7.   Nuclear Syria 14:17  |  Mike Stubbs 03/11/07
      8.   It is important to keep in mind: Syria`s attempt to 14:26  |  Zeevi 03/11/07
      9.   Yonatan #3 14:32  |  S 03/11/07
      10.   the syrian. ok. Who was Caligula? 14:45  |  akiva (zionist) 03/11/07
      11.   Israel has the best intel in the world -BAR NONE! Way to GO! 14:47  |  don 03/11/07
      12.   TO 4 WHO WAS CALIGULA? 14:50  |  HAHAHA 03/11/07
      13.   NOW WE ARE SAVING FACE OF RUSSIAN SAMS 14:56  |  mb 03/11/07
      14.   The photos have caused 15:03  |  Mark Lincoln 03/11/07
      15.   too funny 15:12  |  eric 03/11/07
      16.   sYRIAN NUKES!!??? 15:29  |  sABRA 03/11/07
      17.   Could be a cover-up tricking the Israeils in seeing their reactio 16:06  |  Toufic 03/11/07
      18.   for syrian,yes you are a joke and so is your country 16:12  |  terrornator 03/11/07
      19.   NOTHING happenned the IAF just hit sand.Johnboy said so 16:20  |  PETER S .M. 03/11/07
      20.   "Washington hesitated because no fissionable material was found" 16:45  |  David P 03/11/07
      21.   there are three posts with the first 19 that are meaningful only 16:55  |  redmike 03/11/07
      22.   Caligula/to Akiva 17:12  |  the syrian 03/11/07
      23.   MARK LINCOLN clearly a building in Syria was hit 17:13  |  PETER.SM 03/11/07
      24.   the Syrian # 4 17:13  |  ChanahS 03/11/07
      25.   Biggest Secret Yet! 17:23  |  Mark Lincoln 03/11/07
      26.   Reminds me of a Chelm joke 17:34  |  Tosefta 03/11/07
      27.   The Problems of dictatorship 17:48  |  Danite 03/11/07
      28.   #26 toosofta puts bitter aloes in his tea 18:08  |  victor hardman 03/11/07
      29.   mark lincoln # 14 your the number one bullshiter,trying to keep 18:15  |  terrornator 03/11/07
      30.   Joking aside 18:20  |  sh 03/11/07
      31.   Could be if they had known how to respond Toufic, but they didnt 18:26  |  Israeli 03/11/07
      32.   Syrian 18:27  |  israeli 03/11/07
      33.   For Mark Lincon 18:41  |  Non Dutch 03/11/07
      34.   For Mark Lincon 18:41  |  Non Dutch 03/11/07
      35.   Mark Lincoln has Lost It Completely: Here`s the Reality 18:45  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 03/11/07
      36.   Actually Peter SM 18:46  |  Mark Lincoln 03/11/07
      37.   Pinocchio Syndrome is really contagious! 18:48  |  Frank 03/11/07
      38.   A viable hypothesis Tosefta 18:53  |  Mark Lincoln 03/11/07
      39.   WHO GAVE U THE RIGHT? 19:38  |  Golda Mayer 03/11/07
      40.   to chanahS 19:49  |  the syrian 03/11/07
      41.   to golda 20:00  |  the syrian 03/11/07
      42.   I bet bigtime ,it was NOT Mr Chalabi who was the Mole 20:01  |  Alan 03/11/07
      43.   Tosefta and Mark Lincoln HIgh Level Security Clearance 20:11  |  larry 03/11/07
      44.   Israel is a democratic country 20:30  |  Shmuel from P T 03/11/07
      45.   Embarrassing for both sides 20:44  |  Doron 03/11/07
      46.   To those trying to ruin the Chelm joke(V Hardhead, Sh, M Lincoln) 20:46  |  Tosefta 03/11/07
      47.   There are water pump stations all along the Euphrates river 20:48  |  Pacco 03/11/07
      48.   Osirak the sequel 20:54  |  Daniel 03/11/07
      49.   #4 syrian 21:50  |  Lynn 03/11/07
      50.   #22 syrian 21:52  |  Lynn 03/11/07
      51.   Mark Lincoln, please explain 21:58  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 03/11/07
      52.   # 39 Countries built on hate 21:59  |  Lynn 03/11/07
      53.   MARK Lincoln.Syria has the latest Russian AA,not limited to 22:04  |  PETER S .M. 03/11/07
      54.   Mark Lincoln 22:09  |  Come on 03/11/07
      55.   Cheney is Caligula not Bush 22:14  |  Joe 03/11/07
      56.   Cipora - David Albright 00:00  |  Mark Lincoln 04/11/07
      57.   Peter SM of the Chelm 00:07  |  Mark Lincoln 04/11/07
      58.   Come On - no BDA possible 00:11  |  Mark Lincoln 04/11/07
      59.   Report:: Isarel made a dry run for Iran and is now 00:12  |  Zach and ashamed 04/11/07
      60.   Joe - Cheney and Bush 00:13  |  Mark Lincoln 04/11/07
      61.   Zach and ashamed - no evidence 01:21  |  Mark Lincoln 04/11/07
      62.   #56, Mark Lincoln, you did not answer my question 01:51  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 04/11/07
      63.   A bunch of fucking idiots 02:13  |  G 04/11/07
      64.   The IAEA question answered (Mark Lincoln #38) 02:28  |  Tosefta 04/11/07
      65.   Why Do They Hate Us? 03:19  |  joebhed 04/11/07
      66.   # 36 hey mark; kinda makes you wonder... 03:35  |  eric 04/11/07
      67.   Yeah, GHASTLY IMPOSTOR #26,46 is the real sad & stupid Chelm joke 04:23  |  Genuine Tosefta 04/11/07
      68.   JOEBHED.Why they hate us? Israel is sacred WAQF consecrated to -- 04:38  |  PETER S.M. 04/11/07
      69.   Why would the military need to know what they were guarding? 04:52  |  Pablo B 04/11/07
      70.   #23 Peter SM is afraid of buildings. next: Peter`s fear of sand 05:03  |  Pablo B 04/11/07
      71.   #53 Peter - What makes you think the IAF flew over Russian AA? 05:13  |  Pablo B 04/11/07
      72.   #62 Cipora - you clear it to rebuild. 05:29  |  Pablo B 04/11/07
      73.   Israel is Lucky 05:32  |  Michael 04/11/07
      74.   A Syrian Setup 05:42  |  Saa Tamba 04/11/07
      75.   PABLO B.usually I do not bother with juvenile posts 05:45  |  PETER S.M. 04/11/07
      76.   #57 Mark Lincolon 05:52  |  Non Dutch 04/11/07
      77.   to #39 06:07  |  Jake 04/11/07
      78.   to #59 06:14  |  Jake 04/11/07
      79.   This story is wrong, invented to diminish IAF success in Syria 08:43  |  Genuine Tosefta 04/11/07
      80.   To Mark Lincoln 15:50  |  Vasy 04/11/07
      81.   You Have Got To Be Kidding Me. 23:26  |  Johnboy