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Last update - 15:00 02/11/2009
UN: IDF may have planted spy gear in Lebanon
By Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondent, and Reuters
Tags: Israel News, Lebanon, IDF 

A United Nations investigation into explosions in south Lebanon indicated on Sunday that Israel may have planted spy devices on Lebanese land in what a senior UN official said would be a violation of a cease-fire agreement.

The UNIFIL peacekeeping force in Lebanon said its preliminary probe into
two explosions in the south showed they had been caused by the detonation of underground sensor devices.
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The units were apparently buried by Israel Defense Forces troops during the 2006 war with the Lebanese Shi'ite group Hezbollah, it said.

"These do look like some sort of espionage device," Michael Williams, the
UN special coordinator for Lebanon, told Reuters.

If confirmed, the devices would represent violations of Security Council resolution 1701 which halted the 34-day war.

A first explosion was reported on Saturday evening and a second on Sunday
morning. No injuries were reported. The devices had been placed some 2 km
inside Lebanese territory between the villages of Houla and Meiss al-Jabal.

"Preliminary indications are that these explosions were caused by explosive charges contained in unattended underground sensors which were placed in this area by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) apparently during the 2006 war," UNIFIL said in a statement.

UNIFIL was investigating what had caused the devices to blow up. A
Lebanese security official said they appeared to have been detonated by remote control from Israel after their discovery by Lebanese security forces.

IDF: Hezbollah trying to cover up truce violations

Israel did not respond specifically to the Lebanese assertion. But an Israel Defense Forces said Sunday's incident proved Hezbollah's military presence in south Lebanon, especially in rural Shi'ite areas along the border with Israel.

The IDF accused Hezbollah of attempting to divert attention from its ongoing military activity by inventing reports of alleged Israeli espionage devices found in south Lebanon.

"The Hezbollah terrorist organization is once again trying to divert international attention away from its continuing breach of UN Resolution 1701," the IDF spokesman said in response to the report.

Lebanese news outlets reported earlier Sunday that espionage devices placed by the IDF were located and destroyed in an explosion in south Lebanon on Saturday.

The devices were reportedly discovered near a town close to the Israel-Lebanon border, and destroyed in a midnight blast, apparently by the Lebanon-based militant Hezbollah organization.

There were also reports, however, that the Lebanese army blew up the device, as well as claims that the IDF was behind the blast.

The Hezbollah-affilited Al-Manar reported that a drone destroyed the device. The paper said that when Hezbollah operatives arrived near the site, they found another device.

Earlier this year, Lebanese authorities said they had arrested dozens of people on suspicion of spying for Israel. Lebanese officials displayed what they said was sophisticated communications equipment and other gadgets found in the homes or offices of some of the suspects.

Meanwhile, Lebanese media have reported that Israel Air Force jets recently flew over the disputed Shaba Farms area on the Lebanese border. The Lebanese army was said to have responded with anti-aircraft fire.

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  • Report: Israeli spy ring in Lebanon infiltrated Hezbollah
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      1.   South Lebanon 16:40  |  T.I.P. 01/11/09
      2.   The Lebanese don`t know what has been left behind... 16:40  |  Mark Leaman 01/11/09
      3.   #1 16:40  |  syrian opinion 01/11/09
      4.   south lebanon 16:40  |  m 01/11/09
      5.   On the front page you leave off report... 16:40  |  Susan 01/11/09
      6.   Lie: drone destroyed the device 16:40  |  Bibi Blocksberg 01/11/09
      7.   to #1 TIP --minding your own business 16:40  |  reality check 01/11/09
      8.   m It sould be nice if Mossad and Israeli divide and 16:40  |  jim the mechanic 01/11/09
      9.   Rubbish 16:40  |  JO 01/11/09
      10.   OMG! This is terrible, and very likely a war crime. 16:40  |  Murray of Montreal 01/11/09
      11.   #6 and #9 16:40  |  Richard Pearce 01/11/09
      12.   OMG...OMG...OMG 16:40  |  Charles 01/11/09
      13.   Lebanon 16:40  |  Jim 01/11/09
      14.   O.K., UN...Let the condemnations and resolutions fly. 16:40  |  flyingdoc57 01/11/09
      15.   What about all the bomblets? 16:40  |  Joe 01/11/09
      16.   Why is 16:40  |  Lola 01/11/09
      17.   #Mark Leaman. Know for sure... 16:40  |  Maureen Ann 01/11/09
      18.   PROBLEMS 16:40  |  dave austin 01/11/09
      19.   You would think ... 16:40  |  Jasper 01/11/09
      20.   UNIFIL joke! 16:40  |  A TRUE American 01/11/09
      21.   caught with its pants down 16:40  |  stella westwell 01/11/09
      22.   Joe- the military expert on Middle east:-)))) 16:40  |  Michelle 01/11/09
      23.   So now we can`t bother to look at Hezbollah weapons at all! 16:40  |  Paul Freedman 01/11/09
      24.   UN: IDF may have planted spy gear 16:40  |  funny how 01/11/09
      25.   Dont use that T-word 16:40  |  Fritz T. 01/11/09
      26.   And don`t forget the secret devices ... 16:40  |  sean 01/11/09
      27.   Michael Williams says again what Hezballah tells him to. 16:40  |  Fortuna Benmayor 01/11/09
      28.   Credibility 16:40  |  Hugh 01/11/09
      29.   Israel" unwanted left behind gifts 16:40  |  Ed 01/11/09
      30.   Sean 16:40  |  James 01/11/09
      31.   If Hez found such juicy evidence ... 16:40  |  Jasper 01/11/09
      32.   # 19 cluster bombs and their bomblets, michelle; joe is right 16:40  |  eric 01/11/09
      33.   #1 T.I.P. 16:40  |  kiwi girl 01/11/09
      34.   UNIFIL 16:40  |  vik 01/11/09
      35.   When will UNIFIL do its job? 16:40  |  Disgusted 01/11/09
      36.   Joe re military purposes 16:40  |  Jasper 01/11/09
      37.   This should have been part of the cease fire 16:40  |  Chaim Ben Kahan 01/11/09
      38.   Disgusted - come now 16:40  |  Mark Lincoln 01/11/09
      39.   UN: hizbullah may have recovered and made a greater arcenal 16:40  |  dave 01/11/09
      40.   The Truth Will Come Out Shortly 16:40  |  Murray of Montreal 01/11/09
      41.   T.I.P. 16:40  |  Brad 01/11/09
      42.   Joe 16:40  |  Brad 01/11/09
      43.   Ed 16:40  |  Brad 01/11/09
      44.   Sean? James? 16:40  |  Brad 01/11/09
      45.   Eric: Civilized people woudn`t under the circumstances 16:40  |  Brad 01/11/09
      46.   Kiwi Girl 16:40  |  Brad 01/11/09
      47.   Oh Mark, So rhetocially unconvincing 16:40  |  Brad 01/11/09
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