| Submit your comments on this article |
| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Israeli - al Qaeda clash in Negev |
| 2006-06-02 |
| Three uniformed al Qaeda infiltrators from Egypt lose two men in first direct clash with Israeli troops in the Negev. One Israeli soldier slightly hurt. The infiltrators tossed grenades at the Israeli patrol before dawn June 2 from an ambush near Mt. Sagi, 10 km from the Nitzana-Eilat highway in southern Israel. Two were killed by return fire, the third escaped across the border to Egyptian Sinai. Two Kalashnikov rifles, 9 ammo clips and a radio were found by the bodies, disguised in the uniforms of Egyptian officers. DEBKAfile’s counter-terror sources tie the incident to a battle staged Wednesday night, May 31, between an Egyptian special unit and a large al Qaeda band bound for another attack on the Multinational Force base at Al Gora near El Arish in northern Sinai. The terrorists carried rifles, explosives and grenades for a mass strike against the mostly US and Canadian peacemakers. The Egyptians captured 35 of the assailants. Many of them were Palestinians recruited to Musab al Zarqawi’s Sinai network. Two of the Palestinians were named as Hamad Abu Kabal, 27, a student at the El Arish branch of Cairo University, and Yusuf Mohsein. Their initial interrogation by Egyptian intelligence revealed that Zarqawi’s Sinai-Gaza network is in the first stages of a new offensive in Sinai, aimed at seizing and massacring a large number of Israeli and Western holidaymakers as well as strikes inside Israel. It now operates as “Al Qaeda-Palestine,” dedicated according to its communiqués to attacks on “The Children of Zion.” Israeli security heads are disturbed by the growing number of Palestinians joining al Qaeda. The triple bombing attack at the Dahab resort of April 24, the repeated attempts to hit the MFO and the infiltration of Israel Thursday night come together to indicate al Qaeda’s numbers, infrastructure and reach are expanding and attacks on Israel are integral to its targeting aims. DEBKAfile’s military sources report that the tasks of breaking up al Qaeda’s Sinai operation, curbing its penetration of the Gaza Strip and holding back its border incursions into southern Israel are way beyond the capabilities of Egyptian security. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #6 Oops!: Two Egyptian security officers were killed on Friday in an exchange of fire with Israeli troops. Three Egyptian security officers fired at soldiers after crossing several dozen meters into Israel, Israeli military officials said. The Israeli troops returned fire, killing two of the infiltrators, the officials said on condition of anonymity since they were not authorised to discuss such matters with the media. Egyptian police said that three Egyptian security personnel exchanged fire with the Israeli soldiers after crossing the border and that two of them were killed. The reason for their infiltration into Israel was not immediately known, said Essam al-Shaikh, the head of Egyptian police in the border area. He did not say who shot first. The Israeli army confirmed that two gunmen were killed in an exchange of fire along the border with Egypt, but did not give the identity of the men. The incident happened in the central part of the border with Egypt, near Mount Sagi, the army said. Israel Radio said the exchange of fire occurred in an area of the border that is not fenced. Israel's defence ministry has opened an investigation into the incident, Army Radio reported. |
| Posted by: Steve 2006-06-02 14:22 |
| #5 If the third AQ guy had been killed as well, it would have been a total AQ victory, according to Muslim logic. |
| Posted by: HV 2006-06-02 13:35 |
| #4 ...and AQ can probably pay 'em. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2006-06-02 13:03 |
| #3 why would Paleos not be joining AQ? They've been the cannon fodder for everyone else, just a new master |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-06-02 10:55 |
| #2 haaretz confirms Egyptian uniforms, and officers uniforms at that. Haaretz says still uncertain who it actually was. Givent the geographical area, Debkas assertion that it was guys affiliated with the Sinai AQ affiliated groups whove been booming the resorts sounds pretty plausible. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2006-06-02 09:30 |
| #1 Three uniformed al Qaeda infiltrators from Egypt Egyptian uniforms I assume, although I guess they could be Paki or Saudi. |
| Posted by: 6 2006-06-02 09:14 |