Hizbullah Denies Connection To Weapons Vessel, Calls the Israeli Act as Piracy

Hizbullah denies link to arms shipment seized by Israel

BEIRUT, Nov. 5, 2009, (Xinhua) --

Lebanon's resistance organization, Hizbullah, denied Israel's accusations that a shipment of arms seized off the Israeli coast was destined for the militant and political group from Iran, the group's al-Manar TV reported on Thursday.

"Hizbullah staunchly denies any link to the weapons that the Zionist enemy has seized from the Francop ship," the group said ina statement.

Hizbullah also denounced "Israel's piracy in international waters," according to the statement.

Israel occupation forces said that it intercepted the Antigua-flagged cargo ship named Francop carrying weapons and ammunition around 100 nautical miles off the Israeli coast before dawn on Wednesday.

Israeli defense officials said the ship which was carrying hundreds of tons of weapons was bound for Hizbullah -- the largest arms shipment Israel has ever found.

The Israeli military said an Iranian document was found on board, showing that the arms shipment was originated from Iran.

Hizbullah's allies Iran and Syria have both rejected Israel's accusations about the ship's destination and direction of passage.

The ship was operated by the United Feeder Services (UFS), a Cyprus-based company that had taken the load in the Egyptian port of Damietta.

An employee of the UFS told al-Manar that the ship had been bound from Damietta to Cyprus and from there to Lebanon and Turkey.

Israel accuses Hizbullah of rearming after their war in the summer of 2006 and stockpiling tens of thousands of rockets in south Lebanon. But Hizbullah denies Israel's accusations.

Editor: Chris

Hizbullah Denies Connection To Weapons Vessel, Calls the Israeli Act as Piracy

Thursday November 05, 2009 09:53 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

The Lebanon-based Hizbullah Party stated Thursday that it has no relation whatsoever with the weapons vessel Israel said it captured while reportedly sailing to southern Lebanon to rearm the Party.

The Party yet described the Israeli act as piracy since the vessel was sailing in international waters.

Israeli sources reported that the ship was boarded by Israeli occupation naval forces two days ago, and that it carried Iranian weapons on their way to the Israeli act as piracy and Hamas.

the Israeli act as piracy also stated that Israeli is fabricating news to divert the world’s attention from the Goldstone report, and to increase pressure on Iran.

The vessel did not contain any advanced weapons that could change the power balance in the region, as the weapons it carried were described by some sources as old.

According to the Israeli occupation government sources, the vessel included hundreds of Katyusha rockets and anti-tank shells, in addition to thousands of mortars, thousands of Kalashnikov rifles and dozens of thousands of live rounds.

Israeli paper, Maariv, reported that Israel intends to make a public display of the seized vessel, and would try to convey a message that it is countering terrorist organizations along its northern and southern borders.

It also wants to use the issue to increase Security Council pressure on Iran for its support to the Israeli act as piracy and Hamas.

Israeli occupation army spokesperson said that the vessel was sailing under Antiguan flag and under the guise of a humanitarian ship.

He added that the ship started its journey from an Iranian port.

Israeli occupation navy attacks and takes over Iranian ship

Wednesday November 04, 2009 09:35 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

An Iranian ship was attacked in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea by the Israeli occupation forces navy early on Wednesday morning, while apparently on its way to Lebanon.

According to Israeli media sources, no Cabinet meeting was held in advance of the decision to attack the ship, and a small number of Cabinet officials may have given the go-ahead for the attack.

Israeli officials told the Associated Press that the ship contained weapons including anti-tank missiles, but no official information has been released on the contents of the ship or the reason for its illegal seizure by the Israeli military. Col. Avital Leibovich with the Israeli occupation forces confirmed to reporters that the ship had been seized, but gave no details.

The Israeli occupation government defense minister and charged war criminal, Ehud Barak, told Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz, "This is another success in the endless struggle against attempts to smuggle weapons and military equipment whose goal is to strengthen terrorist elements who threaten the security of Israel."

Since the ship was in international waters when it was seized, the takeover could be considered as an act of war, but Israeli officials say that the Iranian ship was disguised as a humanitarian aid ship flying the flag of Antigua. For that reason, analysts say that a response by the Iranian government seems unlikely.

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