The Counter Terrorism Bureau issued a rare world wide travel advisory on Wednesday warning of possible attempts by Hizbullah to kidnap Israelis abroad, in revenge for the assassination of Imad Mugniyah in Damascus in February this year. Intelligence information obtained by Israel relates to plans by the Shiite group to kidnap Israelis, but does not relate to any particular region. The bureau called on Israelis abroad to act cautiously, remain alert and take the necessary precautions.
The warnings came as Syrian President Bashar Assad embarked on a two day visit to Moscow where he hopes to expand military ties with Russia and boost weapons sales, steps that have angered both Israel and the United States in the past. Prior to his departure, Assad told the Russian daily Kommersant newspaper that he would use his visit to cement ties with Moscow. "Of course military and technical cooperation is the main issue. Weapons purchases are very important and I think we should speed it up," the Syrian President was quoted as saying.
Assad will discuss with his Russian counterpart strategic alliances between the two countries. The Interfax news agency said that Russia and Syria were preparing a number of deals involving anit aircraft and anti tank missile systems.Syria is also interested in Russia's Pantsyr-S1 Air Defense Missile systems, BUK-M1 surface-to-air medium-range missile system, military aircraft and other hardware, the agency said.
A leading item on Assad's shopping list is thought to be the sophisticated S-300 long range anti-aircraft missile system. This state-of-the-art system has already been purchased from Russia by Iran. Iran is expected to deploy it by March, 2009. The Iranian intention, clearly, is for this system to be used in defense of Teheran's nuclear program. Reports in recent months have mentioned large arms deals between Russia and Syria, including advanced anti-aircraft missile systems. Russia held up the transfer of certain weapons systems to Syria and Iran as a result of U.S. and Israeli pressure, but now there is hope in Damascus that the situation will change in their favor, and Russia will authorize the arms sales.
On Wednesday, Russia informed Oslo that it plans to cut all military ties with NATO, the Norwegian Defense Ministry said. Norway's embassy in Moscow had received a telephone call from "a well-placed official in the Russian Ministry of Defense" who said Moscow planned "to freeze all military cooperation with NATO and allied countries," said State Secretary Espen Barth Eide of the Norwegian ministry. The West and NATO have sharply criticized Russia over its military action in Georgia this month.
On Wednesday, Russia issued threats to the United States following the deal it signed for a defensive missile system in Poland . Although the system is designed to defend Europe from Iran, Moscow believes that it's aimed at weakening Russia. Moscow issued a stern warning that should the missile system develop beyond the current plans, its response would go beyond diplomacy. Meanwhile in response to the US Polish agreement, Damascus has stated its willingness to deploy Russian missile defense systems on its soil.
Margot Dudkevitch
Infolive.tv
08/21/08
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