CIA Had Role in Israeli Assassination Try in Lebanon—Report

A prominent Lebanese newspaper also names purported CIA station chief, other activities

A Lebanese newspaper has named the CIA’s station chief in Beirut, along with other alleged secret activities of the agency, in what seems to be an attempt to tie the U.S. spy agency tighter to Israel’s aggressive sabotage and military assaults on Hezbollah, which have caused widespread civilian casualties in Lebanon.

US Embassy Beirut, home to the CIA in Lebanon

Citing three senior Lebanese government security officials, Al Akhbar, an independent left-wing daily and website that is widely read throughout the Middle East, named the CIA station chief as Sherry Baker.  The officials said Baker had previously met with Lebanese security officials during visits to Washington. One  official told the paper that he knew of “five working visits by Lebanese officers of various levels to the United States, who held meetings with American intelligence officials at their headquarters in Langley,” according to Ibrahim al Amin, the paper’s editor-in-chief and the author of the article.

SpyTalk was unable to immediately confirm the claims reportedly made by the Lebanese officials. 

Asked for comment earlier Tuesday, a CIA spokesperson said it would respond by the end of the day but did not answer back by the close of business.