Report: Iran planned attack on Israeli vessel in Suez

Cairo's Al-Ahram weekly reports Egyptian authorities have two suspects in custody for allegedly offering a third man EGP 50 million to attack INS ships; funding believed to be Iranian

Roi Kais|Published: 03.24.12 , 12:31

Egyptian security forces were able to foil a terror attack on Israeli vessels in the Suez Canal, Cairo's Al-Ahram weekly reported Saturday.

According to the report, the Egyptian investigation into the matter concluded that the potential attacks were orchestrated by Iran.

Egyptian authorities have two suspects in custody – Saliman Rizek abdel Razek and Salame Ahmed Salame.

The two deny any involvement, but according to the report authorities have evidence linking them, via the offer of a 50 million Egyptian pounds payment, to a third suspect – Muhammad Zakri – who they allegedly tried to hire to execute the attack.

Case details quoted by the paper say that Zakri was told he would be "paid by the Shiites," who ordered the attack on the backdrop of their hatred for Israel and their ties with Iran.

Earlier in march, Al-Ahram reported that two Israeli missile cruisers crossed the Suez Canal en route to an unknown destination. The IDF confirmed the reports, which further alleged that the INF Lahav and the INF Yaffo arrived in Egypt's Port Said under heave naval guard, along with a French vessel, where they joined other ships.

Ahmed al-Menhali, Egypt's director of the Suez Canal, told the paper that the vessels crossed the canal and sailed between Egypt's north and south harbors for 14 hours, under Egyptian guard.

The past year have seen Iranian ships cross the Suez Canal twice en route to Syria, in what has been described as a defiant act against the United States and Israel.