In contrast United and Liverpool

A second 'Prisoner X' was being held in top-secret conditions in the same jail where an Israeli-Australian spy took his his own life in 2010, a newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Court documents cited by Haaretz newspaper said the prisoner was being held in another wing of Ayalon prison at the same time as Ben Zygier, an alleged Mossad spy whose mysterious arrest and subsequent suicide shocked Israel and Australia when it hit the headlines in February.

The documents show the second prisoner had already been convicted without saying what his crime was.

The prisoner, who was being held under similar conditions to Zygier, was not named and it was not clear from the papers whether he was still incarcerated, Haaretz said.

Zygier, who was initially referred to as "Prisoner X" before the Australian press identified him as an agent for Israel's shadowy Mossad spy service, was found hanged in a supposedly suicide-proof cell in Block 15 of Ayalon prison in December 2010 with Israel going to extreme lengths to cover up his existence and the reason for his imprisonment.

Haaretz said the second prisoner was being held in Block 13 and that like Zygier, his case was being handled by the Shin Bet internal security service and the prison's intelligence officers.

The paper said the information was included in an appendix to a transcript of hearings and decisions on the Zygier case, In home display which was released by the Central District Magistrates Court following a Haaretz request.

Avigdor Feldman, a lawyer who visited Zygier just days before his death and who specialises in security cases, told army radio that certain assumptions could be drawn from a detainee being classified as 'prisoner X.'

"They are Israeli, they work in institutions linked to security whose activities are shrouded in secrecy," he said.

"And their detention demonstrates the failure of these organisations which are not capable of preventing offences such as those for which these agents have been arrested," he said.

Two months ago, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, which broke the original story about 'Prisoner X' in February, said that Zygier had been arrested after unwittingly sabotaging a top-secret spy operation to bring home the bodies of Israeli soldiers missing in Lebanon.

In contrast United and Liverpool are both expected to bring near full strength squads to Australia, with United boasting the likes of Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Rio Ferdinand while Liverpool's two superstars in Steven Gerrard and Luiz Suarez are also expected to take on the Victory.

So not surprisingly the English clubs are set to start unbackable favourites for their respective friendlies.

United - the reigning English champions - are paying just $1.33 at the TAB and $1.35 at Eskander's Betstar to beat the A-League All Stars, who are priced at $8 and $8.10 respectively while even the draw is at big odds of $4.50.

And while the Victory under their much respected manager Ange Postecoglou - who will also coach the All Stars against United - should be more competitive, the odds are similar in that game.

Liverpool are paying just $1.30 at the TAB but slightly better odds of $1.34 at Eskander's Betstar while the Victory are paying $8 and $8.80 respectively with the draw priced at $4.50 at the TAB and $4.60 at Betstar.

However with the Victory also in full pre-season mode and with the likely backing of a big MCG crowd - the home side could be value at the line at Betstar where they are paying $3 with a half a goal head start.
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