Egypt knew about Sudan convoy strike at the time: FM

[eju]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090402/wl ... ssmuggling

CAIRO (AFP) – Egypt knew about air strikes on convoys in Sudan early this year that were said to be carrying weapons destined for Gaza but remained silent to avoid embarrassing Sudan, state news agency MENA reported on Thursday.

Egypt knew about the attacks, thought to have been carried out by Israel, "from when they happened" but it "did not want to embarrass the brothers in Sudan," Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit was quoted as saying.

"The foreign act against Sudan is denounced and our response to it must be strong," he said, adding that Egypt was informed that there were two separate strikes and that Egypt was unaware of how Israel carried out them out.

The remarks were included in the transcript of an Egyptian television interview with Abul Gheit.

Sudan had confirmed reports last week that two air strikes targeted convoys in northern Sudan, one in January and one in February.

US media have quoted American and Israeli officials as saying Israeli aircraft attacked a weapon convoy destined for Gaza, which is ruled by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas.

The reports gave conflicting accounts on the number of strikes.

Israel, which fought a devastating 22-day war with Hamas in Gaza over the new year, is determined to stop weapons smuggling into the enclave. It declared a ceasefire only after receiving international assurances of cooperation to end the smuggling.

Hamas has denied that the alleged convoys were destined for the movement.

Egypt has also denied that weapons are smuggled through its territory into Gaza although it has taken robust measures to close a network of smuggling tunnels, mostly used for food and fuel, linking it to Gaza.