Lebanon arrests telecom exec suspected of spying for Israel
Man suspected of 'supplying Israel with sensitive information'; Lebanon last week arrested Palestinian on similar charges.
By ReutersLebanese security authorities have arrested a senior executive at state-owned mobile telecom firm Alfa on suspicion of spying for Israel, security sources said on Sunday.
"Army intelligence officials are questioning him. They have also arrested another 'valuable catch'," one of the sources told Reuters, without elaborating.
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| Photo by: Ariel Schalit |
The army has refused to comment. No one was available at Alfa to comment.
Lebanese newspaper ad-Diyar said army intelligence had arrested Alfa's head of transmissions and broadcasting with the charge of "supplying Israel with sensitive information that harm Lebanese national security".
Ad-Diyar, which did not mention a source, said the executive was detained on Thursday and army intelligence officials were questioning him to find out who else had been working with him.
"His job is a sensitive position because he is able to access information that few others can get," ad-Diyar said.
The sources did not identify the suspect's name to Reuters and ad-Diyar only released his initials as "S. K."
Lebanon began a wave of arrests in April 2009 as part of an espionage investigation in which dozens of people have been arrested on suspicion of spying for Israel. A retired brigadier general of the General Security directorate was among the high profile detentions. More than 20 people have been formally charged.
On Friday, Palestinian refugee was also arrested for alleged espionage.
Telecommunications in Lebanon are a sensitive issue. Politicians in the past have accused each other of eavesdropping on telephone calls.
The Western-backed government of former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora had accused Hezbollah in 2008 of violating Lebanon's sovereignty by operating a private telecommunications network, an accusation that in part sparked street fighting and brought the country to the brink of civil war.
Israel has not commented on any of the arrests.
Hezbollah, which fought a war with Israel in 2006, has called for the death penalty for all suspects convicted of spying for Israel.
Senior Lebanese security officials have said the arrests dealt a major blow to Israel's spying networks in Lebanon and that many of the suspects played key roles in identifying Hezbollah targets that were bombed during the 2006 Second Lebanon War.
Other suspects have been charged with monitoring senior Hezbollah officials. A Lebanese arrested on suspicion of spying for Israel confessed in March to having helped in the assassination of a Hezbollah commander in 2004.
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they don't curve their tails. One past lesson should be enought - If any, this time around would be even a greater hit. Better got back to syria or iran.
...that an executive, of all people, would spy for a foreign government, especially considering the money he makes as an executive.
Israel will be the one that will start the next war. Most likely by creating a reason to attack Hizballlah first in order to neutralise it before the next move which is attacking Iranian installations. This would not be the end of it but the begining of a bloody long war that will take years to end. It will include on one side Israel supported by the U.S. only against Iran,Syria,Lebanon supported by Turkey and Iraq. A war whose outcome is uncertain. Remember Iran faught Iraq for 8 years and now they will be ready to fight for at least that long. Iran will ferry troups through Iraq and Turkey then Syria towards South Lebanon and the golan hights. Every corner of Israel will be targeted. Gaza will be a nuisance witout much effect. Jordan and Egypt will be destabilised as withing those war years, Moubarak might be out of the picture with the islamists creating havock. Jordan Islamists will be very active as well as the Jordanians of Palestinina decent. The outcome: No clear winner however the fact that Israel is a small country with population concentration will get the brunt of the damage. Lebanon of course will get hurt badly. Israels population will go through reverse migration. Any one with Family or friends overseas will receive those refugees as life will be unbearable in Israel. The Palestinian authourity will not survive, no idea who will take over. Oil prices will hit the $250 level, Gold will reach $1500, the economies of the U.S. and Europe will havve a severe recession if not depression coupled with deflation.. Wait and see and will keep you undated.
Not Hezbollah but the whole Lebanese government have declared war on Israel. The IDF and the Israeli people should take notice of this and during the next war we should bomb Lebanon without any mercy to make clear that peace with Israel is to be preferred over war with Israel. I hope Lebanon, Syria and Hamas will learn this lesson after the next war.
Is your memory that short? We killed mostly civilians in the last war, including innocent women and children. Now you think commit more war crimes and draw more international isolation so we can force them into peace with us. nnonsensenonsense.
Hezbollah, durring the las 20 years did not stop giving for both IDF and israeli people lessons. Time has run out for you, the balnce of power was established durring 2006 war when your army left the battle crying.
So by catch an Israeli Spy in the telecom company, they have become enemies on Israel...r u kidding me..how about when u guys bombed them in 2006 or 2000 or 1996 or 1993 or 1982 invasion or 1978 invasion...get real or better get a life.
Which is to say with such friends give me more enemies...
Who was the one crying in front of the cameras? ^_^ Let's not forget his friend that was hiding from bunker to bunker with his knees shaking
Oh, John, poor Lebanese.. they did not to deserve invasions, bombings etc. They behaved like Cyprus, a decent, correct Israel neighbour. They just sat there and one day, boom, the Israeli came. You get life, learn history, try to understand that any action provokes a reaction. Had Lebanese behaved properly, respecting Israel sovereignty without provoking, they would be living in peace. Now, they are starting provoking again... flotilhas, oil, histories about spies.. Freak people. They behave like masochists that need to be spanked here and there by Israel.
"innocent women and children" can't come into play when the Enemy is a Guerrilla warfare styled system, whereas it uses its civiliian counterpart as a shield, in order to garner sympathy and world attention for it, creating a vaccume of Leftist, Moronic brainless Jews like you to come and "fight" for these Zombie Jihadist Palestinians. As you said, nonsense.
hay athur are you in this earth only for killing i feel sorry for the israeli natoin cause you all want war why not think peace with out force is that what you understand democratic.sorry but i think you shoul think life is not only for war thanks.
Israeli military secrets to perfidious Brits ?