French jets buzz Israeli airliner

Editor's note: Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin is an online, subscription intelligence news service from the creator of WorldNetDaily.com – a journalist who has been developing sources around the world for the last 25 years.

French air force jets dangerously maneuvered several times around an Israeli El Al passenger plane in an apparent effort to inspect the airliner for anti-missile systems, reports the premium online intelligence newsletter Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin.

The incident occurred over French territory as French fighter jets entered the civilian designated air corridor. The Israeli captain reported the French interceptors flew dangerously close and in some cases formed, what was described as, a dangerous interception mode.

It seems the French fighters not only circled the Israeli passenger plane, but also approached it from underneath.

One pilot said he is under the impression the French were inspecting the planes from every possible angle in an attempt to discover whether the passenger aircraft was carrying anti-shoulder-operated missile devices. Israel announced all its passenger planes are in the process of being equipped with such counter measures, pending the approval of a number of civil-administration authorities worldwide.

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France has not approved the use of such devices. The U.S. is contemplating whether to allow them as well.

According to a French source, the Paris government views such equipment as if it were a weapon system requiring a license.

Israel approached France demanding an explanation for the dangerous practice, saying the French took unnecessary risks endangering the lives of hundreds of passengers in a recognized international airline corridor.

The Israeli devices are regarded top secret and, according to sources well aware of the invention, they are perfectly disguised and seen as normal parts of the aircraft frame.

The Israeli decision to use such devices stems from terrorist attempts to shoot down Israeli aircraft in Kenya in late 2002 and information suggesting terrorists might try to do the same in Europe.

According to an Israeli source, similar maneuvers were conducted by the Ukrainian air force but in that case the Ukrainian government informed Israel of interception practices.

Among the governments most interested in the new Israeli device are India and China.

A U.S. congressional subcommittee voted unanimously Thursday in favor of a bill to speed up implementation of measures protecting civil aircraft from shoulder-fired missiles.

If approved by the Senate and House, the bill, passed by the House Aviation Subcommittee, would require the Federal Aviation Administration to accelerate the placement of missile defenses on commercial aircraft.

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The bill also calls on President Bush to step up diplomatic efforts to reduce the proliferation of shoulder-fired missiles in the world.

"Shoulder-fired missiles continue to pose a serious threat to civil aviation," said subcommittee chairman John Mica, a Florida Republican. "Continuing the Department of Homeland Security's anti-missile research is critical to the long-term security of the aviation industry," he said.

Mica noted that Israel announced last week tests for an anti-missile system to protect its national carrier, El Al.

Missiles were fired at an Arkia Israeli Airlines Boeing 767 on November 19, 2002, as it was leaving an airport in Mombasa, Kenya. Al-Qaida took responsibility for the failed attack.

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