[A-List] BBC: Why did Israel attack USS Liberty?

["Leigh Meyers" <the.buffalo.in.the.midst@xxxxxxxxx>]

Why did Israel attack USS Liberty?
By Raffi Berg
BBC News
Friday, 8 June 2007

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The assertion of a cover-up was lent weight by a 2003 independent
commission of inquiry which reported that the attack on the Liberty
"remains the only serious naval incident that has never been
thoroughly investigated by Congress".

Among the most popular theories as to why Israel would take such
drastic action against its superpower ally is that the Liberty, a $40m
state-of-the-art surveillance ship, was eavesdropping on an Israeli
massacre of Egyptian prisoners of war.

Israel strongly denies its troops executed Egyptian POWs, saying those
who died in an incident at that time were 250 armed Palestinian
fighters killed in action.

Another is that the ship had learnt of secret Israeli plans to invade
Syria's Golan Heights two days later and had to be destroyed.

'US collusion' theory

Perhaps the most sinister motive is that put forward by journalist
Peter Hounam in his 2003 book "Operation Cyanide".

Mr Hounam claims secret elements within the US and Israeli governments
colluded to bomb the ship and blame the attack on Egypt and their
superpower ally, the Soviet Union, triggering massive retaliation
which would ensure Israeli victory.

"The attack on the Liberty was pre-planned, perhaps from at least a
year beforehand," Mr Hounam says.

"The Liberty was sent into a very dangerous situation, where it was,
in my view, placed in a position to be attacked."

Mr Hounam says the intention was to sink the ship and kill everyone on
board, but as the Liberty remained afloat the plan was aborted and has
been hushed up ever since.
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In Full: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6690425.stm