Hizbullah using U.S. technology against Israel from Lebanon

WASHINGTON — Lebanon's Hizbullah movement, confronting Israeli troops along a tense border, has obtained advanced military equipment smuggled from the United States.

Hizbullah obtained such systems as night-vision goggles, global positioning devices, mine detection and radar equipment, cellphones and cameras for use to monitor Israeli troops along the southern Lebanese border. Other equipment bought in and smuggled from the United States included stun guns and blasting equipment.

An indictment by a federal grand jury in Charlotte, N.C. has indicted 18 people on charges of supplying the equipment to Hizbullah. None of the Hizbullah defendants named in the indictment is in custody.

"The defendants planned to acquire a variety of items that Hizbullah would use to engage in violent attacks and to film such attacks for use in Hezbollah propaganda efforts," the indictment said.

The smuggling ring is alleged to have been led by Lebanese immigrant Mohammed Yusef Hamoud. Hamoud is said to have diverted profits from the sale of smuggled cigarettes to Hizbullah.

U.S. officials acknowledge that Hizbullah has been using Canada and the United States for money-laundering and weapons smuggling.

"'We hope to send a clear message that North Carolina, the United States and Canada are off-limits for illegal funding and procurement activities by individuals or organizations that support terrorism," Chris Swecker, special agent in charge of the FBI's Charlotte office," said.

In Washington, Assistant Secretary of State Edward Walker said Israel has abandoned efforts to obtain $250 million in U.S. aid to help pay for the withdrawal from Lebanon last May. Walker said the message was relayed by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon during his visit to Washington earlier this month.

"In our most recent discussions with the Israelis," Walker told a House International Relations subcommittee, "they had preferred to concentrate on the future and particularly on the question of strategic defenses against the threat that is posed by Iran/Iraq missile development and weapons of mass destruction."