Britain Investigating Military Equipment Found by Israel

Reuters: Britain said on Aug. 21 it was investigating reports that British military equipment was being used by Hizbollah guerrillas in the Middle East. A Foreign Office spokesman said the government was seeking more information on whether night-vision equipment, which media reports said was found by Israeli troops in Hezbollah bunkers in southern Lebanon, could have come from or been made in Britain.

"We are seeking more information about the equipment to ascertain whether indeed it is British and if so whether it is subject to export controls," the spokesman said.
He said Israel had made no formal complaint, but British and Israeli officials had been in contact over the issue.

The Times newspaper said on Aug. 21 that the night-vision equipment found was marked "made in Britain."

Britain, which accuses Iran of arming Hizbollah, sold 250 night vision sets to Tehran under a special export license in 2003. The Foreign Office spokesman said there was nothing to suggest equipment found in Lebanon was part of that shipment.

A week-long truce between Israel and Hizbollah guerrillas was holding on Aug. 21 as Italy emerged as potential leader of a planned U.N. force to help keep the peace in southern Lebanon.