BAIT-UL-MOQADDAS -- Israeli intelligence came under fire again Tuesday as it emerged that the Mossad knew of terror attacks being planned by Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network in the Kenyan city of Mombasa, a few days before Israeli tourists were targeted. The head of the rival military intelligence services told a parliamentary committee that Mossad had "received advance information on planned Al-Qaeda attacks in Africa and notably Mombasa in Kenya."

General Yossi Kuperwasser was answering Labor Party Secretary General Ofer Pines, who was questioning Mossad's competence for the second time this week, following his condemnation Sunday of the spy agency's "failure" to warn its citizens of a terrorist threat.

Three Israelis were among the 13 victims of last Thursday's suicide car-bomb attack on a hotel in the Kenyan coastal city of Mombasa.

Minutes later, a tourist-packed Israeli charter flying 261 pasengers back from Mombasa to Tel Aviv was targeted by two missiles which could have caused the deadliest anti-Israeli attack in recent history but missed their target.

Kupperwasser stressed that the information received gave no indication as to when Osama bin Laden's network would strike nor did it specify that Israelis would be targeted, but his remarks were the first admission of shortcomings on the part of the Israeli intelligence services.

The accusations were likely to pile further pressure on Mossad agents currently investigating the twin attacks.

On Monday Israel questioned Kenya's ability to lead an efficient enquiry.

"We welcome the cooperation of Kenya, which has let us investigate on site, but we believe this country does not have the technological means nor the experts to successfully complete this mission," Sharon spokesman Raanan Gissin told AFP.

Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz also reiterated that the Al-Qaeda terror network had made several botched attempts to stage attacks in Israel.