Report: Hezbollah cell in Egypt planned to recruit Israeli Arabs

The active Hezbollah cell recently discovered in Egypt planned to use Israeli Arabs to smuggle explosives and detonators into Israel for the purpose of perpetrating terror attacks, the London-based Arabic-language Asharq al-Awsat newspaper reported Saturday.

The report also said that recent interrogations of the Hezbollah detainees revealed that equipment Egyptian authorities found on some of those captured was ready "for that purpose."

Egypt is holding at least 25 men suspected of involvement in a Hezbollah cell in the Sinai Peninsula. A large number of those being detained are Sinai Bedouin, a fact that has led some officials to believe they planned to cooperate with counterparts on the Israeli side of the border.

Egyptian security sources had claimed earlier in the week that Hezbollah agents arrested in Egypt had plotted a series of terror attacks against tourist sites in Sinai, where Israeli and western tourists vacation.

However, the Egyptian sources also noted that the Suez Canal was a potential target along with larger ships that pass through the strategic waterway.

Senior Israeli security sources have said that Hezbollah appears to have been aiming to strike at the regime of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. They note that the tourist sites where Israelis visit were a secondary target for the group.

The same sources assessed that Mubarak is now fully aware of the severity of the threat posed to Egypt's security. "Mubarak understands that Iran has turned Egypt and Sinai into a forward base of operations. It is no wonder he is concerned," a senior source said.

Mubarak has demanded that Hezbollah sign a document stating that it regrets having made use of Egyptian soil for illegal purposes that could put the country in danger, Egyptian sources said.

Mubarak earlier this week discussed the situation with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, and Egypt's ambassador to Lebanon has met with Lebanese President Michel Suleiman to convey Cairo's demands of Hezbollah.