Kuwait daily "Al Jarida" reports that the Mossad and Singapore authorities thwarted an assassination attempt against Minister of Defense Ehud Barak during his visit to the 2012 Singapore Air Show now underway. The paper cites "high ranking Israeli defense officials" as its source.
"Al Jarida" said that the Mossad provided Singapore authorities with what it called classified information about a joint Iranian-Hizbullah cell that was planning to assassinate the defense minister during his visit to Singapore. The paper said that the cell had accurate information about Barak's visit, and that it planned to put him under surveillance and kill him at his hotel.
"Al Jarida" said that the Mossad warned the Singapore authorities about the cell before Barak's arrival, and that this information resulted in the arrest of three suspects in a covert operation. The paper claims that the Mossad is participating in the suspects' interrogation to obtain information about other terrorist cells planning attacks against Israeli targets in various countries. The paper quotes Israeli officials as saying that Iran and Hizbullah are behind these cells.
At today's press conference in Nicosia to mark the signing of a search and rescue agreement with Cyprus, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters, "I cannot share with you any information about the attempted assassination."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on February 16, 2012
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