Nowhere myth and murder are so similar as with the Israeli secret service Mossad. Despite numerous setbacks, the "Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations worldwide reputation like thunder. The reason are spectacular operations - including targeted killings. Berlin - The year 2011 is still young, but it is already richer by two Mossad myths.Early January, said a vulture the Saudi Arabian authorities to boil. The bird was taken near the city of Hail to his feet he wore an Israeli ID. The animal was arrested - as a suspected spy in the Order of the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad. And only a few days ago announced the "New York Times, the Mossad is the author of the computer worm Stuxnet, which was discovered in 2010 and i programmed it was obvious that he attack Iran's nuclear program.
The Mossad, the newspaper noted that Iranian centrifuges specially recreated and tested the worm even in its own nuclear plant Demona. What is true, as legend? The Saudi Geier was not an agent, but part of a bird's flight project for an Israeli university. And Stuxnet? It's much more likely that the Mossad had a hand in this game, after all, Iran's nuclear program as opposed to aerial reconnaissance of the Saudi desert is a serious issue in Israel.
But how accurate was developed and by what methods Stuxnet what caused the digital pest and what to bring, which will probably never be solved - which should be in the spirit of the Mossad: Like any secret of which he lives, that it remains unpredictable. But like no other intelligence in the world he feeds on the myth of being able to do anything.
"Balance of Terror" is almost ironic in contrast to the reputation of the sober self-designation of the service: "Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations, he is sober. Its official motto is deliberately unmartialisches Bible quote from the book of Proverbs: "Where there is a lack of wise leadership, a nation will fall, but where are many advisers, as it does him good." "An eye for an eye" would have fit better.
Because the Mossad not only fulfilled the task of hostile ambitions and institutions to clarify - he kills it. The Mossad has retaliated by killing as anti-Israeli terrorists or suspected terrorists. And he murders a strategic way by bringing people lost their lives that may in future pose a danger to Israel's security.
The rules are that the Mossad hit squads may be directed against terrorists, against those who manufacture weapons of mass destruction or make enemies of Israel are available, and against political and military leaders of foes. "What is the alternative?" Asked a few years ago, Israeli intelligence expert Yossi Melmann.
"It is part of a game whose rules you not. There is no other way for the state to protect itself, as by a balance of terror, by retaliation." A long series - of successes and failures One of the youngest known cases is the killing of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, a weapons buyer of Hamas, in Dubai almost exactly a year ago.
The level has been reconstructed in this case in its current issue. It was a spectacular operation that the cross-border use of multiple agents and helpers single lock. It is just one in a long series of high-profile operations, Israeli special agents - among which were of course also failures.
Yasser Arafat and Saddam Hussein survived a number of hit squads respectively. It is not always clear, however, if in fact the Mossad was behind a particular hit squad - or another Israeli special unit. The hunt was the mastermind behind the legendary "Black-September" attack, the Israeli Olympic team at the Games in Munich in 1972 was attacked, for example performed by a specially created unit.
They liquidated the sought - including an innocent Moroccan waiter in Norway, which she mistook a terrorist. At least once, in 1973 in Beirut, the agents disguised here as in Mabhuh murder as tourists. The mid-seventies, is to have the then Prime Minister Golda Meir appointed a so-called X-committee, which - perhaps today - the list is responsible for killing.
When even the Mossad "Caesaria" unit is responsible for killings. Because Israel suggests in very rare cases only, to have been behind a hit squad, and the Mossad never admit this to be the secret probably more murders than he has attributed to committed - or else. The list of cases that are stored as is, but long.
Back in the sixties to the Mossad letter bombs to German scientists have sent to assisting the Egyptian missile program. Several of them were killed. One of the most spectacular murders attributed to the Mossad took place in 1987 in Tunis where the PLO leader Khalil Wasir stayed alias Abu Jihad.
About 30 agents were probably involved with small boats, they reached the Tunisian coast, where some of them disguised as tourists to the home of Yasser Arafat's most important follower was received. The attackers broke into the house, killing several employees and finally with 70 bullets and the PLO man whose wife and children were in the immediate vicinity.
In October 1995, was killed in Malta, Fathi Shikaki. He belonged to the Palestinian terror group "Islamic Jihad". The bomber was on a motorcycle roars in and shot his victim three times in the head. About a dozen agents were allegedly involved, which all went into hiding. In 1996, the Hamas Executive Jahja Ajjasch came in the Gaza Strip killed when his mobile phone exploded.
The new method also shocked the Palestinian militant scene. Again, the mastermind behind the shaft of the Mossad is commonly believed. In September 2004, was again the victim, a Hamas squad: Izz al-Din al-Sheikh Khalil was killed when a bomb exploded under his car. He was regarded as the coordinator of the actions of the military arm of Hamas.
Israel took over the responsibility implied that the murder was seen as a signal to the Syrian leadership, that Damascus from Israeli agents is not certain. In February 2008, the Hezbollah man Imad Mughniyeh was also killed in Damascus, a car bomb tore the terrorists, the murder of hundreds of people a burden was laid.
Israel officially denied that it had something to do with the murder. But most experts tend to claim that the Mossad was involved - perhaps in conjunction with other intelligence agencies. The most spectacular failure occurred in September 1997 in the Jordanian capital Amman. As a Canadian tourist disguised Mossad agent wanted the Hamas leader Khalid Mishal in passing, killing a nerve poison.
But the agent met the neck of the victim, Mishal Body Guard pursued the two fleeing men Mossad. He gave her to the Jordanian police. The besieged soon after the Israeli Embassy, where - while abandoning their camouflage - were four other Mossad agents fled. The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had to crawl to the cross.
He flew to Amman and apologized to the brother of King Hussein, who did not receive him. After freezing negotiations gave Israel an antidote. Israel also released in exchange for its agents the Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmad Yassin and dozens of other Palestinians and Jordanians from its prisons.
An official investigation was then at the conclusion of the Mossad is "fixed on high risk operations." The service was blamed, for several years he held back with hit squads - and acted very cautiously. Indeed, the Mossad has lost much of its prestige. Inside, the other Israeli intelligence services have gained in reputation.
In the region, Jordanian intelligence is now considered the U.S. as important as the Mossad. This applies, however, especially the prevention of terrorists or terrorist suspects. The current main task of the Mossad, meanwhile, takes less public attention, even if the use of death squads here should also play a role.
In Israeli convinced that it is more important for the country to prevent Iran in building a nuclear bomb - even with intelligence methods. Here, say the Israelis, the Mossad was really good. Only one could not see this unfortunately. have been Stuxnet The worm could at least take a look through the keyhole.
Some analysts speculate that the code was set back Iran's nuclear program by up to two years.
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