ORAC
25th Aug 2006, 06:57
IŽd have posted this on the original thread, but it has been closed. Suspicion was raised against Iran providing the kit. Only fair to post that the accusation turned out to be false...
The Times August 25, 2006 : Hezbollah kit sold by British firm
A sophisticated night-vision system found by the Israelis at a Hezbollah bunker in southern Lebanon had been exported under licence from Britain to a private company in Lebanon, according to Whitehall sources.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has been investigating claims that a number of night-vision goggles and other devices used by the Islamic terrorist group came from the UK. It was feared that night-vision goggles sold in 2003 to Iran by a British company that was granted an export licence because they were to be used for counter-narcotics operations on the border of Iran and Afghanistan might have been diverted to Hezbollah. Iran is its prime sponsor and backer.
However, the sources said that investigators had concluded that none of the night-vision systems was from the batch sold to Iran.
One of the devices found by the Israelis had been sold under an export licence to a company in Lebanon several years ago for use as a static security device. The Foreign Office is trying to find out how Hezbollah acquired it.
The Times August 25, 2006 : Hezbollah kit sold by British firm
A sophisticated night-vision system found by the Israelis at a Hezbollah bunker in southern Lebanon had been exported under licence from Britain to a private company in Lebanon, according to Whitehall sources.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has been investigating claims that a number of night-vision goggles and other devices used by the Islamic terrorist group came from the UK. It was feared that night-vision goggles sold in 2003 to Iran by a British company that was granted an export licence because they were to be used for counter-narcotics operations on the border of Iran and Afghanistan might have been diverted to Hezbollah. Iran is its prime sponsor and backer.
However, the sources said that investigators had concluded that none of the night-vision systems was from the batch sold to Iran.
One of the devices found by the Israelis had been sold under an export licence to a company in Lebanon several years ago for use as a static security device. The Foreign Office is trying to find out how Hezbollah acquired it.