Cablegate: Egyptian-Israeli Cooperation Thwarts Palestinian

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DE RUEHEG #1249 1190906
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 290906Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4929
INFO RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 1619
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 1435
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM PRIORITY 0798
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS CAIRO 001249

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PTER MEPN KPAL EG IS
SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN-ISRAELI COOPERATION THWARTS PALESTINIAN
INFILTRATION ATTEMPT

Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly.

1. (SBU) An Egyptian official responsible for border
security issues told poloff on April 27 that Egyptian
security forces confronted two suspected Palestinian
terrorists in a "heavily tunneled" area along the
Egyptian-Gaza border at dawn on April 26 after Israeli
liaison alerted them to a potential infiltration effort. The
official said one of the infiltrators escaped arrest and fled
into Rafah town, where, as of April 29, he was still believed
to be hiding. The official said that GOE security forces
found a suicide belt, which they believe the infiltrator
dropped, in Rafah town.

2. (SBU) According to the official, the second infiltrator
lost an arm and was seriously wounded after dropping
"approximately 100" crude explosive devices when Egyptian
security confronted him. He remains hospitalized in the
North Sinai town of Al Arish. The official could not confirm
that the two men entered Egypt via a tunnel, but said it
appeared highly likely.
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