Israelis Seize Yacht Carrying PLO Guerrillas
The Israeli navy seized a yacht carrying Palestine Liberation Organization commandos and an American crewman off the coast of southern Lebanon, thwarting a planned guerrilla mission against Israel, the military said today.
The Israeli Defense Force said the navy intercepted and captured the hired yacht--carrying members of Yasser Arafat’s mainstream PLO Fatah organization--off the Lebanese coast Saturday as the vessel headed for the southern port of Sidon.
Military sources said the yacht Kasilradi was captured without resistance and was coming from a guerrilla training base run by Arafat in Algeria.
Israel Believed Target
The army said the guerrillas intended to cross the border from Lebanon to launch an attack in northern Israel. Sources said there were “fewer than 19” guerrillas in the unit.
Two crewmen, one from the United States and the other from Australia, were also jailed. The Foreign Ministry said police were investigating if they were involved in the guerrillas’ mission.
“We assume they knew who the passengers were,” one source said.
The identities of the two crewmen were not disclosed by either Israeli or embassy officials. Israel’s delay in disclosing the capture of the yacht was not explained.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
