Iran may have been planning to attack an Israeli ship in the Suez Canal with hired agents, according to newspaper reports quoting Egyptian state security officials.
The Israeli newspaper
Haaretz, which reported the alleged plot on Monday, noted that Israeli officials have been concerned for some time about Iran’s moving to set up an infrastructure on Egyptian soil to carry out terrorist operations. Haaretz recently quoted a high-ranking military official who said the Iranians have been active in the Sinai and in the Gaza Strip.
The Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram reported on Saturday that two Egyptians had been arrested for allegedly planning to bomb an Israeli ship as it passed through the Suez. Egyptian prosecutors said the two received instructions from Iranian agents and may have hired a third man, identified as Mohamed Zakri, to carry out the bombing in exchange for 50 million Egyptian pounds.
The two men have denied the accusations. The newspaper offered no other details, other than to say that the two were arrested following an investigation.
© 2013 Newsmax. All rights reserved.