Bombs aimed at N-plant

NEW YORK - Israel's air strike inside Syria last month was directed at a site judged by Israeli and United States intelligence analysts to be a partly constructed nuclear reactor, the New York Times reported.

Citing US and foreign officials who had access to the analysts' intelligence reports, the Times said the reactor was apparently modelled on one in North Korea used for stockpiling nuclear weapons fuel.

The targeted Syrian facility appeared to have been much further from completion than an Iraqi reactor the Israelis destroyed in 1981 in an attack the September 6 incident echoed.

The Times said Bush Administration officials had been divided over the attack, with some seeing it as premature.

Some officials said the facility was years away from being developed to produce nuclear fuel that could eventually be used for weapons-grade plutonium.

But it was unclear how far Syria had got with the plant before the attack or what role North Korea might have played.

US officials refused to say whether they suspected North Korea of having sold or given the plans to Syria.

They said the partially constructed Syrian reactor was identified this year in satellite photographs.

A senior Israeli official said the attack was meant to "re-establish the credibility of our deterrent power", the Times said.

Several US officials told the paper the strike may also have been intended for the attention of Iran and its nuclear programme.

The newspaper also reported that Vice-President Dick Cheney and other hawkish members of the Administration contended that the same intelligence that prompted Israel's attack on the reactor strengthened the case for the US to reconsider negotiations with North Korea over ending its nuclear programme.

Israel confirmed this month it had carried out the air strike but information on the raid has been under tight wraps.

- Reuters