Forensic check on 'missing airman bones'

An Israeli forensics institute is examining remains to see whether they belong to missing airman Ron Arad, who was shot down over Lebanon 18 years ago, Israeli sources said today.

Israeli sources in Jerusalem confirmed an Israel Radio report that they had received the remains from a “Lebanese group” but did not say whether it was Hezbollah that had handed over the bones.

Israel and Hezbollah are entering the second-phase of a prisoner deal, when the Lebanese guerrilla group is supposed to hand over concrete evidence of Arad’s fate. In exchange Israel is to release a Lebanese prisoner still in Israeli custody.

In January, an Israeli businessman and the bodies of three Israeli soldiers were traded for 436 Arab prisoners and the bodies of 59 Lebanese fighters in the first part of the deal with Hezbollah.

Israel Radio reported the examination would take about a month. The report said Israeli defence officials believe there was only a low probability that the remains were those of Arad.

Arad’s fate has remained a mystery. Israel believes that after he was shot down, he was held for some time by Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas and was then handed over to Iranian Revolutionary Guards in Lebanon.