Egyptian paper: Israel is behind the assassination of Rafic Hariri
CAIRO, Feb. 20 (SANA-Official Syrian News Agency)
www.sana.org/english/headlines/20-2/egyptian_paper.htm

Egyptian ' al-Osbo' newspaper stressed that Israel is the first benefited
from assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri.

" The circulated information indicate that Israel has been looking for
finding a means to put interior pressures on Lebanon, abort the national
resistance and to inflame interior wars in Lebanon," the papers said in a
report will be issued tomorrow .
The paper touched upon the meeting of the Israeli cabinet several months ago
that discussed means of aggravating the situation on the Lebanese arena.

" The authorities suggested arranging assassination of one of Senior
Lebanese figures on the condition that this would be a preparatory stage for
another assassinations inside Lebanon to embarrass Syria and destabilize the
region," the paper mentioned.

"Israel began to communicate with its agents on the Lebanese arena and asked
for help of the US intelligence bureaus to carry out the scheme then it
chose Hariri to be the starting point." The paper added.

The paper emphasized that this crime aims at directing a strong blow to the
Syrian-Lebanese relations and aggravating the situation on the Lebanese
interior scene.

"How planners of this crime knew the issue of changing the electronic
equipment which the late premier's convoy was equipped with? How they could
shut off and jam those equipment were exported from the U.S.? who possesses
such big capabilities to implement such a complicated and difficult
operation of assassination?" the paper inquired.

In the same context, Sheikh of al-Azhar, Mohammad Sayed Tantawi described
the assassination crime as it represents the top of terrorism and a direct
strike to peace and stability in Lebanon .

He called the Lebanese people to unify their ranks to face any attempt
targeting his unity and stability.

Ghossoun /