Excerpts: Explosives smuggling. Iran threatens closure of oil route 6 July
2008

+++JORDAN TIMES 6 July '08:"Egypt finds weapons caches in Sinai"
QUOTE:" 'We believe the explosives were headed for the Gaza Strip' "
EXCERPTS:EL ARISH (AFP) - Egyptian authorities on 5 July found weapons and
explosives in the Sinai Desert they believe were destined for the Gaza
Strip, a security official said. "Security forces found eight plastic bags
containing 400 kilogrammes of TNT explosives in a warehouse near the town of
El Arish," the official said. "We believe the explosives were headed for the
Gaza Strip." The official said that nine automatic weapons were also found
in another warehouse in central Sinai after a tip-off from bedouins. Israel
and the United States have repeatedly accused Egypt of not doing enough to
stop arms smuggling into the neighbouring Gaza Strip, which has been under
the control of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas for the past year. . .
.

+++ARAB NEWS (Saudi) 6 Aug.'08:"Iran raises the stakes, warns of Gulf
blitz",Agencies
QUOTE:" 'blitzkrieg tactics ...will not leave a chance for the ememy to run
away' "
TEHRAN: Iran's military chiefs warned 5 Aug. that the country would shut
down the Strait of Hormuz vital for oil exports and use "blitzkrieg tactics"
in the Gulf if it came under attack. At the same time the government said it
had no intention of discussing its right to enriching uranium.
"All the countries should know that if Iran's interests in the region are
ignored, it is natural that we will not allow others to use it (the
strait)," said army chief Gen. Hassan Firouzabadi, .... However, Iran's
armed forces joint chief of staff stressed his country's priority was that
the Strait of Hormuz remain open.. . .The chief of Iran's elite
Revolutionary Guards militia, Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, meanwhile, warned
..."The Guards are equipped with the most advanced missiles that can strike
the enemies' vessels and naval equipment with fatal blows," ... "blitzkrieg
tactics and operations of the Guards' boats will not leave a chance for the
enemies to run away," he said.
The new commander of the US Fifth Fleet, Vice Adm. William Gortney, said
yesterday that the American naval presence in the region was "a very clear
message that we are here to maintain security and to provide stability."
... government spokesman Gholamhossein Elham said: "Iran's stance has not
changed (on uranium enrichment) and we are ready to hold talks in the
framework of preserving Iran's nuclear rights.". . .
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Sue Lerner - Associate, IMRA