German missile parts delivered to Egypt via Japan, N. Korea

Egypt has obtained components for guidance systems from German companies in a renewed effort to complete a medium-range ballistic missile.

European intelligence sources said the Egyptian orders were placed over the last year, with the latest one submitted in February. They said the Egyptian government bought the components from Germany through front companies.

The missile transaction was traced by both European and U.S. intelligence services, the sources said. They said the components were delivered from Germany to Japan, where the shipment disappeared. They said the components were sent to North Korea for modification and are now believed to be in Egypt.

"This can be regarded as a serious effort by Egypt to finish its missile program," an intelligence source said. "The Egyptians can't get these components through their regular suppliers, so they turned to the Germans."

Egypt is said to be pursuing several medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missile programs, some of them launched in the late 1980s. These include the Project T missile, with a range of 450 kilometers, the Al Bader with a range of up to 900 kilometers, and the Vector missile, with a range of up to 1,200 kilometers.

The Al Bader was based on the Condor missile in a program that was launched with Argentina and Iraq. The United States pressured Argentina to withdraw from the program in the early 1990s and the United Nations embargo prevented Iraq from participating in the missile development.

Egypt is said to be continuing the Al Bader and its other missile programs with North Korean help. Intelligence sources from Europe and the United States said Cairo obtains Western and European systems and sends them to Pyongyang for reverse engineering and modification for Egypt's missile program.

Egypt has been receiving help in missile development from North Korea for about 20 years. But Cairo has been forced to turn to Western firms because of North Korea's lack of expertise in developing solid-fuel missile engines.

The intelligence sources said Egypt had been receiving missile components from two unidentified German companies until about 1994. Over the last year, Egypt has renewed contacts with the German firms. The sources said the German government was not aware of the Egyptian effort.

The regime of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak aims to complete a two-stage solid-fuel missile. The sources said Egypt has resumed cooperation with Iraq on missile development. They said much of the missile development takes place in neighboring Libya.

A U.S. intelligence source confirmed that Western agencies have been tracking Egypt's missile development programs and its renewed contacts with German firms. The source said he does not believe President George Bush will raise the issue with Mubarak.

In March, a group of congressional members asked Mubarak whether Egypt was developing medium- or intermediate-range missiles. Mubarak denied this.

For their part, military commanders pledged to maintain Egypt's strength. Defense Minister Hussein Tantawi said the military would increase training and weapons procurement to maintain battle readiness.

"We do not call for war," Tantawi told members of Egypt's northern command. "Our armed forces are strong to be a deterent against any attempt to commit aggression against this great nation."