December 22, 2008, 2:17 PM (GMT+02:00)
An Iranian official said Monday, Dec. 22, that the BBC which had entered the region "under the guise of a news organization… was more involved in recruitment for intelligence activities." Two groups of reporters were arrested and several other groups were pursued, Tehran claimed.
The BBC has not commented on the charge.
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Iraq orders Iranian exiles to leave ahead of PM Maliki's Tehran visit
DEBKAfile Special Report
December 22, 2008, 12:25 PM (GMT+02:00)
Days before Iraqi Prime minister Nouri al-Maliki visits Tehran, his government has told the opposition People's Mujahideen Organization of Iran (PMOI) it is no longer welcome in Iraq.
Ashraf Camp, their sanctuary 70 km north of Baghdad for two decades, will be closed and 3,500 occupants face deportation to their own country (certain execution) or other countries. DEBKAfilereports that no government has offered the group asylum although Jordan has supported the PMOI's successful claim to delete its terrorist listing by the European Union.
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Hamas calls unilateral 24-hour missile ceasefire from GazaDecember 22, 2008, 2:16 PM (GMT+02:00) Israel has not reciprocated. Hamas spokesman Ayman Taha said Monday, Dec. 22, his organization and allied Palestinian armed factions in the Gaza Strip were observing a 24-hour halt in their missile attacks against Israel at Egypt's request to allow essential supplies to enter the enclave. | ||
First Palestinian anti-air gun fire against Israeli helicopters. Military option on iceDEBKAfile Exclusive Report December 22, 2008, 10:45 AM (GMT+02:00)  Israeli helicopter For the first time in 9 years of Palestinian warfare, anti-air gun fire was directed from the ground against Israeli aircraft,DEBKAfile's military sources report. The guns opened up Sunday night, Dec. 21, against Apache helicopters still over Nahal Oz, before they crossed into Gaza air space after more than 20 missiles were fired that day. Notwithstanding the severe escalation of Gaza attacks, a senior military source told DEBKAfile that a substantive military raid is not on the IDF's immediate agenda. | ||
Israeli government again backs down as Gaza missile war boils over
DEBKAfile Special Report
December 21, 2008, 9:56 PM (GMT+02:00)
Sderot: Living in mortal fear
No military action to stamp out the Palestinian missile blitz against southwestern Israel will be undertaken before "international support" is organized and an attempt to renew the "ceasefire" with Hamas is undertaken. That was the gist of the Israeli cabinet's decision Sunday morning, Dec. 21, after Palestinian terrorists fired eight missiles and mortar shells at Israeli civilian locations, continuing the blitz launched before and after Hamas ended its six-month "truce" Friday.
Israeli helicopters struck three missile teams preparing to fire near the north Gaza town of Beit Hanoun. But the missiles kept coming - 22 by the end of the day.
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Washington asks Israel to clarify first sale of spy drones to Russia
DEBKAfile Special Report
December 22, 2008, 12:27 PM (GMT+02:00)
Heron 2 spy drone
The Russian Kommersant reported Tuesday, Dec. 16 that Gen. Vladimir Popovkin, head of Russia's armed forces, visited Israel in November for talks on the purchase of a first batch of the unmanned reconnaissance drones which Georgia used successfully in its conflict with Russia last August.
DEBKAfile's military sources report that the sale, if finally approved by the defense ministry in Tel Aviv, would be Israel's first advanced hardware sale to Russia.
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