On Wednesday it was revealed that Israel’s Military Intelligence Directorate’s Unit 8200 helped to foil an Islamic State attempt to bomb a flight from Sydney last August.
Israeli intelligence transferred information to Australian authorities, leading to the arrest of a number of suspects who were in the advanced stages of preparing an attack that would have taken place on an Etihad airways flight out of Sydney last July.
A senior IDF official revealed that “the unit provided exclusive intelligence that led to the prevention of an air attack by the Islamic State in 2017 in Australia. The foiling of the attack saved dozens of innocent lives and proved Unit 8200’s position as a major player in the intelligence fight against the Islamic State.
During his address at the Conference of Presidents, a major global Jewish leadership forum in Israel, PM Netanyahu said, “We revealed today that Israel’s intelligence services prevented the shooting down of an Australian airliner, and I can tell you that this is one of many, many such actions that we did preventing terrorism around the world. They [the intelligence services] deserve all your support, not only for protecting Israel, but protecting people everywhere around the world”.
Zionist Federation of Australia President, Dr. Danny Lamm AM, who was also at the Conference of Presidents said, “We note with pride Israel’s role in averting a terrorist attack against Australia. The close relationship between the two nations is a matter of record and continues a tradition of looking out for your mates that began in Be’er Sheva 100 years ago”.
To read more about the revelations and the attempted attack please click here.
For more information contact:
Emily Gian, Media and Advocacy Director – 9272 5528, emily@zfa.com.au
