Terror cells have recently been seen observing El Al crew members in Toronto

Terror cells have recently been seen observing El Al crew members in Toronto, apparently in preparation for a terror attack targeting airline personnel. This appears to be the first time Israeli airline crews have been specifically targeted by terrorists, although Israeli businessmen abroad have already been warned that Hezbollah may attempt to abduct them. The suspected terrorists were seen at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, one of the hotels where the pilots and crew of the Boeing 767s that fly El Al's direct Tel Aviv-Toronto route stay between flights.
The sighting has triggered a higher alert level, and the Shin Bet security service has ordered El Al procedures altered. U.S. television stations, basing their information on American intelligence sources, reported in mid-June that a Hezbollah cell had been caught collecting information on Israeli targets in Canada, including the Israeli Embassy in Ottawa. Israeli intelligence experts increasingly think Hezbollah is determined to attack Israeli targets abroad to avenge the February assassination of Imad Muhgniyeh, one of Hezbollah's top leaders, which the Lebanese Shi'ite group attributes to the Mossad. El Al would not comment on the terror threat, saying the company "does not deal with security matters." However, sources at the company said flight crew members abroad are constantly aware of being potential victims of attacks targeting the planes, passengers or themselves. Company employees are briefed when there is specific intelligence warning of a terror threat. El Al has been targeted for attack in the past. Two people were killed in July 2002 when a gunman opened fire on El Al passengers at Los Angeles International Airport. An Israeli security official halted the attack by shooting down the gunman.
There have also been what appear to be close calls. In May 2003, on Shin Bet orders, the company canceled a flight to Kenya due to a specific warning of a planned attack. In September that year, an El Al plane with 193 passengers heading from Tel Aviv to Los Angeles was supposed to stop over at Toronto, but diverted to Montreal because of a warning of a terror attack planned for Toronto. The arrest of seven Dutch youths planning to attack an El Al plane became public in November 2005, and in June 2006 the general prosecutor's office in Bonn confirmed that Swiss authorities had revealed an attempt by a Muslim terror cell to attack an El Al plane. In addition, in November 2006, the German government arrested six Muslims on suspicion of planning to blow up an El Al plane after takeoff from Frankfurt.