Israel Matzav

But of course: Syria helps key Hezbullah terrorist escape from Egypt

Among the prisoners who escaped in the confusion in Egypt last week was one Mohamed Yousef Mansour, also known as Sami Chehab, who was serving 15 years for planning terror attacks in Egypt. Mansour/Chehab, a key Hezbullah operative, was able to return to Beirut with the assistance of the Syrian embassy in Cairo.

Chehab, exploiting the chaos that had erupted in Egypt during demonstrations that called for for president Hosni Mubarak's ouster, had escaped the prison where he was serving a 15-year sentence for planning terrorist activities on Egyptian soil. Following his escape, Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah had sent an adviser to Syria's intelligence head in order to request that Syria provide Chehab with a false Syrian passport and documents, the source told Al-Seyasseh. The Syrian intelligence head was reportedly eager to help.

The Syrian embassy then issued Chehab a new passport - replacing one that "was lost" - which he used to travel from Egypt to Khartoum where members of the Sudanese Hezbollah cell helped usher him to the international airport. From there, Chehab flew to Syria, and crossed over into Lebanon.

Chehab appeared in a Beirut rally Wednesday, waving Hezbollah flags and raising his hands in a V-victory sign.

The Shi'ite militant group says that Mansour was among the thousands of prisoners across Egypt who are believed to have escaped or been set free shortly after the revolt against longtime President Hosni Mubarak erupted Jan. 25. But this was his first public appearance.

One big winner of Egypt's regime change is clearly the terror organizations.

What could go wrong?

Labels: Egyptian regime change, Hezbullah, Sudan, Syria

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:29 PM