Harpoon
Page 34
The staff of the Shurat HaDin Law Center in Tel Aviv are among the leading legal activists and dedicated advocates for Israel in the world. On a daily basis they are vigilantly fighting the good fight, frequently without the recognition or praise they deserve. My deep public appreciation then to everyone, past and present, who assisted with this book, including Alona Zohar, Rachel Weisner, Avi Guez, Dina Rovner, Liora Blum, Gideon Israel, and Yifat Segal. Much thanks as well to Sara Miller for her editing assistance and to Ronn Torossian for all his encouragement.
The experts who we employed in the various courtroom proceedings throughout the years utilized their knowledge, experience, and scholarship in the service of justice for the terror victims. They include Patrick Clawson, Ronni Shaked, Arieh Spitzen, Noa Meridor, Bruce Bechtol, Mathew Levitt, Udi Levi, Uzi Shaya, Yossi Kuperwasser, Echud Levi, Daniel Reisner, Israel Shrenzel, Eugene Kontorovitch, Avi Bell, Jonathan Schanzer, Nick Kaufman, Alon Evyatar, Peter Raven-Hansen, Rael Strous, Allan Friedman, Marius Deeb, Berti Benedetta, David Pollock, Itamar Marcus, Claudia Rosett, Clive Ansley, Gordan Chang, Donald Clark, and the late Barry Rubin.
Special thanks as well to my personal fixer, Margalit Gordon of ISRAM Tours, for her love and friendship and ability to arrange pretty much anything anywhere.
It’s an emotional experience for any author to have her work reviewed by government censors. No one likes their words being toyed with or told what they can or can’t say. It can be a difficult and thankless task safeguarding the secrets of the state, however, and we greatly appreciate the speed and fairness with which the IDF censors carried out their work. They asked not to be mentioned by name, so thank you, ladies.
Finally, the families and victims of terrorism provided all of us with the inspiration and strength to launch our battle in the uncharted and high-risk arena of courtroom warfare worldwide on their behalf. With their courage and noble determination they turned the tragedies so unfairly inflicted upon them and the open wounds that don’t heal into powerful weapons in the pursuit of justice. It was these beautiful families that personally paid the full price of the reckless gamble of the Oslo Accords. They chose not to be merely victims any longer, honoring their loved ones by fighting back. “For if you remain silent at a time like this.”
—Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, July 2017
A book of this kind that covers the most secretive and sensitive operations of intelligence work could never have been written without the assistance of a great many people—most of whom, for reasons that require no further explanation, cannot be named. To do the jobs that they have sworn to carry out, they have had to work and live in the shadows. But still, these secret soldiers knew of the importance of this story and they offered what they could, providing a brief glimpse into the imagination and courage that went into the effort to deny the terror masterminds the funds needed to maintain a murderous campaign whose sole mission was to kill innocent people. I am grateful for the trust these anonymous men and women have invested in me. I am honored for the friendships that subsequently developed. I would like to thank Brigadier-General (Ret.) Danny Arditi and Uzi Arad, both former heads of Israel’s National Security Council, for their time and insight. I would also like to thank the man known as Lavi S. for his generous time and his patience in explaining to me the intricate world of Israel’s neighbors. I would also like to offer a special word of thanks to Deputy Commissioner (Ret.) Uri Bar-Lev for his assistance and friendship.
It was a great pleasure and privilege to have been able to meet and talk to Meir Dagan. I met Meir Dagan at the end of his life, yet his brilliant mind was sharp and his unique brand of charisma beamed with great power. His infectious smile and mischievous sense of humor were inescapable. Talking to Dagan for even a few moments was a lesson—there was so much I wanted to ask and so much I wished he would and could tell. Even ill, fighting cancer, Dagan was the commando, the general, the spymaster: He was the man who knew all the secrets. It was easy to see why he was both feared and highly respected by his enemies. The moment I was in Dagan’s company I realized why he was adored by his friends and revered by those who worked for him. He was truly a legendary figure.
The men who worked for Dagan were of similar swagger. I am grateful to these spies and soldiers for sharing their insight and experiences—they are the embodiment of the words chutzpah and genius. They must remain anonymous though they are the true heroes in Israel’s war against terror. I would like to personally thank the “U2,” the men known as Uri L. and Shai U., for their assistance and friendship, and for offering me a fascinating glimpse into this covert world.
Finally, a very special word of thanks to my co-author, Nitsana, and her husband, Aviel. Nitsana’s energy and dedication in the roll-up-your-sleeves, in-the-trenches legal fight for the rights of terror victims is absolutely inspiring. Nitsana, Aviel, and the team at Shurat HaDin are very much on the front lines of the war on terror, fighting tirelessly for the rights of everyday people whose lives were devastated by extraordinary evil. I am grateful to have had the chance to be part of this book and to have been included in their campaign.
There are other heroes, of course, and some provided me with unofficial assistance. The war against terror was not limited to the State of Israel and its intelligence services, of course. The war is fought by Americans, Brits, Germans, Jordanians, and many others. Over the course of my writing career I’ve come to know many of these frontline spies, soldiers, and special agents working diligently for their countries, and I am grateful to a great many of them who provided me with some background and guidance in my writing. A special thanks to former special agents with the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service for their international perspective and the use of their knowledge and contacts.
I would like to thank my terrific agent, Jim Hornfischer, for making sure that this book became a reality. I would also like to thank Paul Whitlatch, our editor, for his guidance and sharp eye, and I would like to thank the team at Hachette Books who turned this mixture of words and images into a finished product. I’d like to thank my three children for their tolerance amid the chaos and endless hours that the travels and late-night writing sessions warranted. You kids are the best! Last but certainly not least, I’d like to thank my wife, Sigi, for being very patient, very tolerant, and ultimately, very proud.
—Samuel M. Katz, July 2017
NOTES
Preface
1. Kimberly Dozier, “Taken Out: Haji Imam, ISIS’s ‘Second in Command,’ Killed by U.S. in Syria,” Daily Beast, March 25, 2016.
2. Kyle Orton, “Obituary: Abd al-Rahman Mustafa al-Qaduli (Abu Ali al-Anbari)”: https://kyleorton1991.wordpress.com/2016/03/25/obituary-abd-ar-rahman-mustafa-al-qaduli/.
3. Barbara Starr, Ryan Browne, and Laura Koran, “Pentagon: ISIS Finance Minister Killed,” CNN, March 25, 2016.
4. U.S. Department of Defense, “Department of Defense Press Briefing by Secretary Carter and General Dunford in the Pentagon Briefing Room,” March 25, 2016.
5. Barbara Starr, Laura Smith-Spark, and Ray Sanchez, “Abu Sayyaf, Key ISIS Figure in Syria, Killed in U.S. Raid,” CNN, May 17, 2015.
6. Ronen Bergman, The Secret War with Iran: The 30-Year Clandestine Struggle Against the World’s Most Dangerous Terrorist Power, New York: Simon & Schuster, 2008, p. 284.
Chapter One: The Tourists from the Windy City
1. Danny Sadeh, “Darsu Et Toledano, Sahvru Et Raglav, U’Belayla Ratzhu Oto,” Yediot Aharonot 24 Sha’ot, June 7, 1993.
2. Joel Greenberg, “Israel Arrests 4 in Police Death,” New York Times, June 7, 1993.
3. Michael Parks, “Arab Militants Kidnap Israeli, Demand Swap,” Los Angeles Times, December 14, 1992.
4. http://mfa.gov.il/MFA/ForeignPolicy/Terrorism/Palestinian/Pages/Ahmed%20Yassin.aspx.
5. Interview with Unit 33 veteran “F.,” name withheld for security reasons, Tel Aviv, September 29, 2016.
6. David Johnston, “U.S. Prosecutors Suspect an American Citizen of
Financing Hamas Terror,” New York Times, June 14, 1998.
7. Tom Hundley, “Chicagoan Is Charged by Israel With Heading Hamas Militants,” Chicago Tribune, October 23, 1993.
8. See affidavit signed by “Nadav,” September 26, 1995, used in the deportation proceedings against Musa Abu Marzook from the United States in 1995.
9. Ibid.
10. Ibid.
11. Terrence McCoy, “The Enigmatic Hamas Leader Allegedly Behind the Israeli Kidnappings That Ignited War,” Washington Post, July 10, 2014.
12. See Tom Hundley, “Chicagoan Is Charged by Israel With Heading Hamas Militants,” Chicago Tribune, October 23, 1993.
13. Joel Greenberg, “Israel Holding 3 U.S. Arabs It Links to Militant Group,” New York Times, February 1, 1993.
14. Ronen Bergman, The Secret War with Iran: The 30-Year Clandestine Struggle Against the World’s Most Dangerous Terrorist Power, New York: Simon & Schuster, 2008, p. 249.
15. Ehud Ya’ari, “The Metamorphosis of Hamas,” Jerusalem Report, January 14, 1993.
16. See Danny Sadeh, “Darsu Et Toledano, Sahvru Et Raglav, U’Belayla Ratzhu Oto,” Yediot Aharonot 24 Sha’ot, June 7, 1993.
17. Michael Rotem, “Arrest of Hamas Terrorists Foiled Massive Car Bomb Attacks,” Jerusalem Post, June 7, 1993.
Chapter Two: Da’wa
1. Interview, Tel Aviv, May 30, 2015.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. Interview, December 13, 2016.
6. Amos Harel, “Ha’Matkefa al Hamas: Mivtza Raava She’A’lul La’hafoch Le’Pe’ulat Serek,” Ha’aretz, June 6, 2014.
7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZd_jlHdVRg.
8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWcAyWEnD3I.
9. Ibid.
10. Interview, with Bina Dagan, May 9, 2017.
11. Ibid.
12. Amir Oren, “Meir Dagan: The Outsider Who Blocked Netanyahu and Barak’s Adventurousness,” Ha’aretz, March 17, 2016.
13. Ronen Bergman, “How Meir Dagan Restored The Mossad to Its Former Glory,” Ynet Magazine, March 20, 2016.
14. Yossi Melman, “Ha’Kesher Im Sharon Hithil Be’Yamei Hakamat Sayeret Rimon,” Ha’aretz, September 11, 2002.
15. Itamar Eichner, “A Fighter to the End: Meir Dagan’s Daring Life,” Ynet Magazine, March 19, 2016.
16. Amir Oren, “Meir Dagan: The Outsider Who Blocked Netanyahu and Barak’s Adventurousness,” Ha’aretz, March 17, 2016.
17. http://www.gvura.org/a4839-%D7%A1%D7%A8%D7%9F-%D7%9E%D7%90%D7%99%D7%A8-%D7%93%D7%92%D7%9F-%D7%94%D7%95%D7%91%D7%A8%D7%9E%D7%9F.
18. Dr. Uri Milshtein, “Rimon Helem: Kach Husla Yisrael Et Ha’Terror Be’Retzu’a,” Ma’ariv, January 23, 2016.
19. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWcAyWEnD3I.
20. See interview, with Bina Dagan, May 9, 2017.
21. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HKq_qt0748.
22. See Amir Oren, “Meir Dagan: The Outsider Who Blocked Netanyahu and Barak’s Adventurousness,” Ha’aretz, March 17, 2016.
23. Clyde Haberman, “Arab Car Bomber Kills 8 in Israel; 44 Are Wounded,” New York Times, April 7, 1994.
Chapter Three: Closed Accounts
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7PAOlxjd24.
2. Elie Rekhess, “Khomeinism in Gaza,” Jerusalem Post, January 11, 1991, p. 8.
3. http://www.cfr.org/israel/palestinian-islamic-jihad/p15984.
4. Gustav Niebuhr, “Professor Talked of Understanding But Now Reveals Ties to Terrorists,” New York Times, November 13, 1995.
5. Mary Curtius, “Bombings Kill 6 Israelis, Hurt 47: Mideast: Suicide Attackers Set Off Two Explosions near Isolated Gaza Strip Settlements. Rabin Says Peace Talks Will Continue, but Demands Arafat Disarm Violent Militias,” Los Angeles Times, April 10, 1995.
6. Ibid.
7. Clyde Haberman, “Arafat’s Police in Gaza Widen Crackdown on Muslim Radicals,” New York Times, April 12, 1995.
8. Samuel M. Katz, The Hunt for the Engineer: How Israeli Agents Tracked The Hamas Master Bomber, New York: Fromm International, 1999, p. 123.
9. Joel Greenberg, “Islamic Group Vows Revenge For Slaying of Its Leader,” New York Times, October 30, 1995.
10. Serge Schmemann, “The World; Shhh! That’s a (Not Very) Secret,” Week in Review, New York Times, January 14, 1996.
11. Yossi Melman, “Kidon, the Mossad Within the Mossad,” Ha’aretz, February 19, 2010.
12. Yassin Musharbash, “Tourists with a License to Kill: A Look at the Mossad’s Assassination Squads,” Der Spiegel Online, February 18, 2010.
13. Yossi Melman, “The Assassination in Malta: The Professional Skills of the Agents vis-à-vis the Negligence of Shaqaqi. No Bullets Were Found At the Killing Location. The Motorcycle Was Brought Especially to the Island,” Ha’aretz, October 30, 1995.
14. See Joel Greenberg, “Islamic Group Vows Revenge For Slaying of Its Leader,” New York Times, October 30, 1995.
15. John Battersby, “World Honors a Shepherd of Peace, Players Vow to Keep Rabin’s Legacy,” Christian Science Monitor, November 6, 1995.
16. https://www.mossad.gov.il/heb/history/Pages/dagan.aspx.
17. Joel Greenberg, “Islamic Group Vows Revenge For Slaying of Its Leader,” New York Times, October 30, 1995.
18. Interview, Tel Aviv, May 28, 2015.
19. See interview, with Uri, December 13, 2016.
Chapter Four: The Head of the Table
1. Interview with “O” (identity withheld for security considerations), September 28, 2016.
2. Interview, New York City, December 7, 2014.
3. Interview, with INP Superintendent (Ret.) Gil Kleiman, December 12, 2016.
4. Interview, Tel Aviv, September 26, 2016.
5. Interview with Uri L., December 13, 2016.
6. Ibid.
7. Interview, Lod, December 31, 2013.
8. Amnon Kapeliouk, “A Summit Clouded by Suspicion,” Ha’aretz, November 23, 2001.
9. George J. Mitchell, “The Sharm el-Sheikh Fact-Finding Committee Report,” May 2001.
10. See interview with Uri L., December 13, 2016.
11. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWcAyWEnD3I.
12. Ibid.
Chapter Five: Khalas
1. http://israelspy.com/turn-the-clock-back-32-years-lebanon-was-the-battleground/.
2. Jim Newell, “Jeb’s ‘James Baker’ Problem: Why Hawks Are Turning on the ‘Anti-Israel’ Bush,” Salon, March 25, 2015.
3. Interview with Harpoon representative, Tel Aviv, May 31, 2016.
4. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Peace/ehrenfeld.html.
5. David Hoffman, “Arafat Denounces Conditions Imposed on Foreign Aid,” Washington Post Foreign Service, July 2, 1994.
6. https://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340, L-2058616,00.html.
7. Interview, Washington D.C., December 25, 2016.
8. Alexander Cockburn, “Why Say No?,” Nation, October 4, 1994.
9. David Samuels, “In a Ruined Country: How Yasir Arafat Destroyed Palestine,” Atlantic, September 2005.
10. Ibid.
11. Interview, Washington, D.C., January 11, 2017.
12. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/arafats-billions/.
13. Ibid.
14. Yossi Melman and Arnon Regular, “Yossi Ginossar, Ex-Senior Shin Bet Official, Dies at 58,” Ha’aretz, January 13, 2004; available at http://www.haaretz.com/news/yossi-ginossar-ex-senior-shin-bet-official-dies-at-58-1.110762.
15. John Kifner, “All Sides Resist Plan by Clinton for the Mideast,” New York Times, December 31, 2000.
16. See David Samuels, “In a Ruined Country: How Yasir Arafat Destroyed Palestine,” Atlantic, September 2005.
17. Ben Caspit, “How a Former Official of Israeli Intelligence, Yossi Ginosar, Managed a Secret Account for Arafat,” Behind the News in Israel, December 5, 2002.
18. See David Samuels, “In a Ruined Country: How Yasir Arafat Destroyed Palestine,” Atlantic, September 20
05.
19. Inigo Gilmore, “Arafat ‘Diverted $300m of Public Money to Swiss Bank Account,’” Telegraph, November 9, 2003.
20. https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/government/jzarate-bio.html.
21. Joel Greenberg, “Victims’ Accounts of a Night of Horror,” New York Times, June 3, 2001.
22. Clyde Haberman, “At Least 14 Dead as Suicide Bomber Strikes Jerusalem,” New York Times, August 10, 2001.
Chapter Six: Money Kills
1. Serge Schmemann, “Mideast Turmoil: The Outlook; Dire Day: Trying to See Beyond Sure Revenge,” New York Times, March 28, 2002.
2. Shaul Mofaz, “Operation Defensive Shield: Lessons and Aftermath,” Washington Institute, Policy no. 387, June 18, 2002.
3. James Bennet, “Mideast Turmoil: Mideast; Israelis Besiege a Defiant Arafat in His Office,” New York Times, March 30, 2002.
4. “Provisions Supplied to PA Chairman Arafat-2-Apr-2002,” available at http://mfa.gov.il/MFA/PressRoom/2002/Pages/Provisions%20Supplied%20to%20PA%20Chairman%20Arafat%20-%202-Apr-.aspx.
5. Efraim Karsh, Arafat’s War: The Man and His Battle for Israeli Conquest, New York: Grove/Atlantic, 2003, p. 156.
6. Dror Moreh (writer, director, producer), The Gatekeepers (documentary film), Sony Pictures Classic, 2012.
7. Bruce Hoffman, “The Logic of Suicide Terrorism,” Atlantic, June 2003.
8. Ibid.
9. Ibid.
10. Interview, Ra’anana, September 7, 2015.
11. Matthew Levitt, Hamas: Politics, Charity, and Terrorism in the Service of Jihad, New Haven: Yale University Press, 2006, p. 4.
12. Ibid.
13. Vered Lubich, “Hugash Katav Ishum Neged Mitcanen Ha’Pigu’a Be’Malon Park,” Ynet, August 1, 2002.
14. Hebrew translation of interview transcript of Abbas al-Sayyid in Kishon Prison, May 12, 2002.
15. Juan C. Zarate, Treasury’s War: The Unleashing of a New Era of Financial Warfare, New York: Public Affairs/Perseus Books Group, 2013, p. 87.