Bin Laden's technology, resources worry Israel

TEL AVIV -- Israel is concerned by the threat posed by Saudi billionaire fugitive Osama Bin Laden.

Officials said that for the first time, Bin Laden has sent agents to launch terrorist attacks against Israel and perhaps the Palestinian Authority. PA officials have confirmed this.

Bin Laden, the Israeli officials said, represent a far greater threat than those Israel have known in its long battle with terrorism. The officials said Bin Laden's agents are better trained, better financed and have a vast knowledge of weapons technology.

"In contrast to other organizations, Bin Laden is less limited from a technological perspective," Israeli deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Moshe Yaalon said. "Our successes against Islamic organizations have resulted in difficulties to obtain proper explosvies. Bin Laden's organization has huge amount of resources and availability to high technology."

Israeli security and military officials envision a scenario where several Bin Laden agents -- laden with money and expertise -- could quickly recruit Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip for suicide bombings. They said the bombings could even include nerve gas such as Sarin.

Last month, Israel and the PA caught the latest Bin Laden agent to arrive in the PA areas. Officials did not rule out the prospect that other Bin Laden agents have infiltrated Israel and the PA areas.

The officials said Bin Laden has formed links with such organizations as the Palestinian Hamas movement and the Lebanese Hizbullah. They said Hizbullah is also investing more resources to organize terrorist attacks from the West Bank and Gaza Strip against Israel.

In Gaza, a suspected militant from the Islamic Jihad group was injured on Sunday when a bomb he was said to have been preparing exploded. PA security sources said the man lost several fingers in the accident. The Jihad -- as well as Hizbullah -- is sponsored by Iran, which has increased funding for terrorist attacks, security sources said.

"I want to point out that Hizbullah, which has been freed from its intensive engagement in the Lebanese sphere, has turned into a more significant element in hostile sabotage activities in the territories," Yaalon said. "This includes training, guidance and the attempt to link Palestinian elements with Hizbullah with the aim to launch attacks."