Air-to-air missile components found on a Lufthansa plane on Saturday by
Venezuelan authorities in a Caracas airport before being flown to Tel Aviv are
the property of the Colombian Air Force, according to statements released by the
Colombian Air Force and Lufthansa.
According to the statement by the Colombian Air Force, the missile components
were to be sent to Israel for "inspection and maintenance" work to be carried
out by the Rafael Armament Development Authority Ltd, a R&D authority in the
Defense Ministry.
The Colombian Air Force statement confirmed that Rafael would review the
electronic part of the missiles, which fall under the technical name of "Optical
Guide." The statement added that the transport of the missiles complied with all
the international rules for its transport and confirmed the final destination to
be Israel.
Rafael was not available for comment by press time.
The Lufthansa explanation came after the Venezuelan Attorney-General's office
stated Monday that five fighter-plane rockets apparently headed for Israel had
been seized at the airline's cargo depot at the Maiquetia International Airport
in Caracas. Venezuelan police said the rockets were the types used on Mirage and
F- 16 fighter planes.
A Lufthansa spokesperson confirmed to The Jerusalem Post that
Venezuelan authorities had launched an investigation into the affair and that a
Lufthansa employee working at the airport depot was detained by Venezuelan
authorities.
According to Latin press reports, members of Venezuela's General Directorate
of Intelligence and Prevention Services found the "armaments."
The Colombian Air Force said the material found on the plane "does not pose
any danger by its transport, due to the fact that there are electronic parts
that do not contain any explosive components that risk the security of the
passengers or crews."
Lufthansa told The Jerusalem Post that the company "only carries items
that comply with international aviation standards."
"Contrary to reports, this freight was neither rockets nor weapons," another
Lufthansa spokesman told the German news agency, DPA.
He declined to specify what the contents of the five packages were, and also
did not identify who had dispatched the items or the recipient, citing data
protection regulations.
An aviation industry insider told the Post that the affair may have
more to do with stresses in Venezuelan-Colombian ties, rather than anything
involving Israel or Lufthansa.
According to foreign reports, over the past few months, Venezuelan President
Hugo Ch vez has placed orders for large quantities of assault rifles, patrol
boats and transport planes, in what some analysts speculate is an arms race with
neighboring Colombia.
