BICOM

The Egyptian authorities claim to have foiled an Iranian attempt to blow up Israeli vessels in the Suez Canal, Al-Ahram Weekly, a government-linked newspaper, reported Sunday. Israeli officials were unable to confirm the details, but said it was significant that the report had been published in a semi-official newspaper.

Quoting state prosecutors, Al-Ahram said Egyptian police 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,” (an allusion to Iran) who ordered the attack.

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

Israel has accused Iran of involvement in unsuccessful attacks on Israeli targets in the past month in India, Thailand and Georgia. The past year has also 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.