Hezbollah

by Levitt, Matthew

  5. “Iran Expands Its Palestinian Control; Offers al-Khadoumi Five Million Dollars,” al-Watan (Kuwait), December 13, 2004.

  6. Israeli intelligence report, “Hezbollah’s International Terrorism and the Penetration of Hezbollah Activists into Israel,” undated, author’s personal files, received August 5, 2003.

  7. Kevin Peraino, “Death of a Hezbollah Leader: Attack Fells a Suspected Terrorist with a List of Enemies,” Newsweek, February 12, 2008.

  8. Ranstorp, “Hizbollah’s Command Leadership.”

  9. Douglas Frantz, “The Accountant Is a Terrorist,” New York Times, November 10, 1996.

  10. Mikdad: Into the Mind of a Terrorist, DVD, Director Dan Setton, Direct Cinema Limited, 1998.

  11. Ibid.

  12. Ibid.

  13. Frantz, “Accountant Is a Terrorist.”

  14. Mikdad.

  15. For a detailed discussion of terrorism aimed at disrupting the Oslo peace process, see Matthew Levitt, Negotiating under Fire: Preserving Peace Talks in the Face of Terror Attacks (Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2008).

  16. Frantz, “Accountant Is a Terrorist.”

  17. Mikdad.

  18. Frantz, “Accountant Is a Terrorist.” By another account, Mikdad joined Hezbollah in 1994 and began working as an accountant in one of Sheikh Fadlallah’s charitable foundations. See Forest, Making of a Terrorist, 257.

  19. Frantz, “Accountant Is a Terrorist”; Mikdad.

  20. Forest, Making of a Terrorist, 257.

  21. Frantz, “Accountant Is a Terrorist.”

  22. Ibid.

  23. Ibid.

  24. Israeli intelligence report, “Hizballah’s International Terrorism,” undated, received by the author August 5, 2003.

  25. US Department of Justice, FBI, “International Radical Fundamentalism.”

  26. Frantz, “Accountant Is a Terrorist”; Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jerusalem Police Spokesman, “Details of Lawrence Hotel Bombing Released,” May 16, 1996; Mikdad.

  27. Frantz, “Accountant Is a Terrorist.”

  28. Mikdad.

  29. Ibid.; Frantz, “Accountant Is a Terrorist.”

  30. Mikdad.

  31. Ibid.

  32. Frantz, “Accountant Is a Terrorist.”

  33. Mikdad.

  34. Ibid.

  35. Frantz, “Accountant Is a Terrorist.”

  36. Mikdad.

  37. Ibid.

  38. Ibid.

  39. Frantz, “Accountant Is a Terrorist.”

  40. Mikdad.

  41. Forest, Making of a Terrorist, 258; Hussein Dakroub, “Prisoners Arrive Home After Israel and Lebanon Swap Bodies,” Associated Press, June 26, 1998.

  42. Philippine intelligence report, “TIR on Pandu Yudhawinata,” December 8, 1999, 9; Israeli intelligence report, “Hizballah’s International Terrorism.”

  43. Margot Dudkevitch, “Germany Warned Israel of Smyrek,” Jerusalem Post, December 28, 1997; Justin Sparks, “Freed Terrorist Vows He’ll Fulfill Suicide Mission,” Sunday Times (London), February 8, 2004.

  44. Author interview, former Israeli judiciary official, Israel, September 12, 2011.

  45. Margot Dudkevitch and Douglas Davis, “German Terror Suspect’s Mother Asks Forgiveness,” Jerusalem Post, December 30, 1997; Dudkevitch, “Germany Warned Israel of Smyrek”; Forest, Making of a Terrorist, 258; Israeli intelligence report, “Hizballah’s International Terrorism.” By other accounts, Smyrek converted to Islam shortly after completing a third prison term for drug offenses. See Agence France-Presse, “English-Educated German among Prisoners to Go Free in Hezbollah Deal,” January 27, 2004.

  46. German government reports referenced in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Investigations Unit of the Office of the Attorney General, Office of Criminal Investigations: AMIA Case, report by Marcelo Martinez Burgos and Alberto Nisman, October 25, 2006, 305.

  47. Ibid.

  48. Ranstorp, “Hizbollah’s Command Leadership,” 309.

  49. German Government, Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Annual Report of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution 2005 (Bundesamt für Verfas-sungsschutz, BfV) 2005, 166, 191.

  50. Agence France-Presse, “Lebanese Hezbollah Official Forced to Leave Germany,” January 5, 2005.

  51. “German Interior Minister ‘Worried’ about Islamist Radicalization,” Bild (Hamburg), July 24, 2006.

  52. Author interview, former Israeli judiciary official, Israel, September 12, 2011.

  53. Israeli intelligence report, “Hizballah’s International Terrorism.” By another account, Smyrek approached Hezbollah operatives in Germany and volunteered to carry out a suicide attack on the group’s behalf. See Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at the Center for Special Studies, “Hezbollah, Part 1: Profile of the Lebanese Shiite Terrorist Organization of Global Reach Sponsored by Iran and Supported by Syria,” Special Information Paper, July 2003, 76.

  54. According to Israeli intelligence, Fahdi Hamdar doubled as a Hamas liaison in Germany. Israeli intelligence report, “Hizballah’s International Terrorism”; Forest, Making of a Terrorist, 258. An Israeli official involved in Smyrek’s prosecution noted “his life was out of focus, he was still looking for purpose.” Author interview, former Israeli judiciary official, Israel, September 21, 2011.

  55. Dudkevitch and Davis, “German Terror Suspect’s Mother Asks Forgiveness.”

  56. Forest, Making of a Terrorist, 258.

  57. Agence France-Presse, “German in Court over Planned Suicide Bombing in Israel,” December 25, 1997.

  58. Margot Dudkevitch, “Charges Pressed against German Suspected of Planning Suicide Attack,” Jerusalem Post, December 26, 1997.

  59. Forest, Making of a Terrorist, 258; Dudkevitch, “Charges Pressed against German”; Sparks, “Freed Terrorist Vows.”

  60. Dudkevitch, “Germany Warned Israel of Smyrek.” By one account, Smyrek’s initial entry into Israel was in part a training mission to test his commitment to carrying out a suicide bombing. See Yoram Schweitzer, “The Export and Import of Suicide Bombers,” Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies, Tel Aviv Notes No. 77, May 11, 2003.

  61. “Court Says German Suspected of Planned Suicide Attack ‘Not Tortured,’” Ma’ariv (Tel Aviv), March 12, 1999, accessed via BBC Summary of World Broadcasts, March 15, 1999.

  62. Israeli intelligence report, “Hizballah’s International Terrorism.”

  63. Dudkevitch, “Charges Pressed against German.”

  64. Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at the Center for Special Studies, “Hezbollah (part 1): Profile of the Lebanese Shiite Terrorist Organization of Global Reach Sponsored by Iran and Supported by Syria,” June 2003.

  65. Agence France-Presse, “German in Court”; Margot Dudkevitch, “German Sent by Hizbullah Nabbed Last Month,” Jerusalem Post, December 25, 1997.

  66. Dudkevitch, “German Sent by Hizbullah Nabbed”; Forest, Making of a Terrorist, 258.

  67. Galit Lipkis Beck, “German Government May Seek Smyrek’s Extradition,” Jerusalem Post, January 23, 1998.

  68. Author interview, former Israeli judiciary official, Israel, September 12, 2011.

  69. “Germany Issues Arrest Warrant for Terrorist Suspect Held by Israel,” Deutsche Presse-Agentur, March 23, 1998; author interview, former Israeli judiciary official, Israel, September 12, 2011.

  70. Sparks, “Freed Terrorist Vows.”

  71. Author interview, former Israeli judiciary official, Israel, September 12, 2011.

  72. Dudkevitch, “Charges Pressed against German.”

  73. Sparks, “Freed Terrorist Vows.”

  74. Ibid.; Associated Press, “Four Released Prisoners Ask for Asylum in Germany after Exchange between Israel and Hezbollah,” January 30, 2004.

  75. Alexander Ritzmann and Mark Dubowitz, “Hezbollah’s German Helpers,” Wall Street Journal, April 17, 2007; “Hezbollah’s European Base,” Berlin Welt am Sonntag (Germany), July 23, 2006.

  76. Regarding procu
rement, see, for example, United States of America v. Dani Nemr Tarraf, 09-01902, US District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

  77. “ICT Global Terrorism Brief: Mughniyeh Killing Triggers Spate of Hezbollah Alerts,” International Institute for Counter-Terrorism, September 7, 2008.

  78. Israeli intelligence report, “Hizballah Leader’s Visits to Europe,” undated, author’s personal files, received August 28, 2003. See, for example, Nicole Winfield, “Hezbollah Denounces Terrorist Label,” Associated Press, May 24, 2002.

  79. Israeli intelligence report, “Hizballah World Terrorism,” undated, received by the author, August 5, 2003.

  80. Matthew Gutman, “Israeli Arab ‘Sold’ Tannenbaum for $150,000,” Jerusalem Post, October 14, 2003; “To Lebanon via Car, Container and Fishing Boat,” Haaretz, May 7, 2002.

  81. “To Lebanon via Car, Container and Fishing Boat.”

  82. Matthew Gutman, “Court Denies Tannenbaum Family’s Plea,” Jerusalem Post, October 23, 2003.

  83. “To Lebanon via Car, Container and Fishing Boat.”

  84. Ibid.

  85. Amos Harel, “Kais Obeid Plotted to Abduct Other Israelis,” Haaretz, March 24, 2004; “To Lebanon via Car, Container and Fishing Boat.”

  86. Ibid.

  87. Yossi Melman, “Tannenbaum Suspects Met While Visiting Jailed Relatives,” Haaretz, October 22, 2003.

  88. “Tannenbaum: I Was in Lebanon for Drug Deal,” Jerusalem Post, December 21, 2006.

  89. Yossi Melman, “Tannenbaum: Failed Businesses and an Ostentatious Lifestyle,” Haaretz, October 23, 2003.

  90. Gutman, “Court Denies Tannenbaum Family’s Plea.”

  91. Melman, “Tannenbaum.”

  92. Author interview with former Israeli judiciary official, Israel, September 12, 2011.

  93. Ibid.

  94. Baruch Kra, “Drug Deal Cited in Tannenbaum Case,” Haaretz, October 23, 2003.

  95. Gutman, “Court Denies Tannenbaum Family’s Plea.”

  96. Ibid.

  97. “AM Archive: Israel Questions Colonel Released by Hezbollah,” Australian Broadcasting Corporation (radio), February 27, 2004.

  98. Matthew Gutman, “Tannenbaum Rumors Grow,” Jerusalem Post, October 26, 2003; Kra, “Drug Deal Cited.”

  99. Gutman, “Tannenbaum Rumors Grow.”

  100. Ibid.

  101. Yossi Melman and Baruch Kra, “Iran Said to Have Aided Hezbollah in Tannenbaum Kidnap,” Haaretz, October 22, 2003.

  102. Gutman, “Court Denies Tannenbaum Family’s Plea.”

  103. Kra, “Drug Deal Cited.”

  104. John Kifner, “Hezbollah Says It Seized an Israeli Colonel,” New York Times, October 16, 2000.

  105. UK Parliament, “The Terrorism Act 2000: Proscribed Organisations,” Standard Note SN/HA/00815, House of Commons Library, December 7, 2011, p. 25.

  106. Robert Fisk, “Middle East Crisis: Hizbollah Boasts of How It Lured Colonel to Beirut,” Independent (London), October 17, 2000.

  107. Yossi Melman and Baruch Kra, “Lifting the Tannenbaum Gag Order Still Leaves Many Questions Unanswered,” Haaretz, October 23, 2003; “Tannenbaum: I Was in Lebanon for Drug Deal.”

  108. Author interview with former Israeli military official, Washington, DC, August 2, 2011.

  109. Gutman, “Court Denies Tannenbaum Family’s Plea.”

  110. Melman and Kra, “Lifting the Tannenbaum Gag Order”; Gutman, “Court Denies Tannenbaum Family’s Plea.”

  111. “Tannenbaum: I Was in Lebanon”; Israeli intelligence report, “Hezbollah’s International Terrorism and the Penetration of Hezbollah Activists into Israel.”

  112. Liat Collins et al., “The Tannenbaum Affair,” Jerusalem Post, March 12, 2004.

  113. Melman and Kra, “Iran Said to Have Aided Hezbollah.”

  114. Collins et al., “Tannenbaum Affair.”

  115. Kifner, “Hezbollah Says It Seized Israeli Colonel.”

  116. Con Coughlin, “Iran Using Dubai to Smuggle Nuclear Components,” Telegraph (London), June 6, 2010; Richard Spencer, “UAE Moves Illegal Nuclear and Weapons Trade,” Telegraph (London), July 1, 2010.

  117. Zeev Schiff, “Iran Was Involved in Tannenbaum Kidnap,” Haaretz, October 23, 2003; Melman and Kra, “Iran Said to Have Aided Hezbollah”; Gutman, “Tannenbaum Rumors Grow.” The fact that Tannenbaum was drugged was confirmed to the author in an interview with a former Israeli military official, Washington, DC, August 2, 2011.

  118. Melman and Kra, “Iran Said to Have Aided Hezbollah.”

  119. Author interview, former Israeli judiciary official, Israel, September 12, 2011.

  120. Author interview, former Israeli military official, Washington, DC, August 2, 2011.

  121. “To Lebanon via Car, Container and Fishing Boat”; Gutman, “Israeli Arab ‘Sold’ Tannenbaum.”

  122. Gutman, “Israeli Arab ‘Sold’ Tannenbaum.”

  123. Ze’ev Schiff, “Israeli Security Officials Warn Hezbollah Planning Kidnappings,” Haaretz, August 17, 2003.

  124. Ibid.

  125. “Hezbollah TV Interviews Israeli Prisoner Prior to Release,” al-Manar Television, January 29, 2004, accessed through BBC Summary of World Broadcasts, January 29, 2004.

  126. Author interview, former Israeli judiciary official, Israel, September 12, 2011.

  127. Ronen Bergman, “The Mystery of Elchanan Tannenbaum,” Yediot Ahronot, February 20, 2004.

  128. Ibid.

  129. “Tannenbaum: I Was in Lebanon.”

  130. “Israel Doubts Freed Captive Story,” BBC News, February 19, 2004.

  131. “Israel Makes Deal with Ex-Hostage,” BBC News, February 27, 2004.

  132. Reuters, “Formerly Captive Israeli Officer Stripped of Rank,” June 25, 2007.

  133. Israeli intelligence report, “Hizballah’s International Terrorism.”

  134. Bell, Cold Terror, 80.

  135. Ibid., 80–81.

  136. Baer, See No Evil, 113.

  137. Bell, Cold Terror, 81.

  138. US CIA, “Iran: Enhanced Terrorist Capabilities.”

  139. “Moldova Expels Former Lebanese Honorary Consul for Hezbollah Connections,” Bucharest Mediafax (English), October 28, 2001, accessed through Foreign Broadcast Information Service, October 29, 2001.

  140. Radu Tudor, “Terrorism in Romania, Hizballah, Commercial and Propaganda Operations in Romanian University Cities,” Bucharest Ziua (Romania), February 13, 2002, accessed through Foreign Broadcast Information Service, February 13, 2002. Information confirmed for the author in interview with Romanian security official, Washington, DC, July 2004.

  141. Bell, Cold Terror, 81–82.

  142. United States of America v. Faouzi Ayoub, Indictment, Case 2:09-cr-20367, filed under seal August 5, 2009, unsealed July 2011; see also Robert Snell, “Dearborn Man Accused of Bomb Mission on FBI’s Most Wanted List,” Detroit News, July 6, 2011.

  143. Israeli Government, Office of the Prime Minister, “ISA Arrests Senior Hizballah Terrorist,” press release, October 30, 2002.

  144. Bell, Cold Terror, 82.

  145. Ibid., 80–82.

  146. Stewart Bell, “Canadian a Suspect in Plot to Kill Israeli PM,” National Post (Canada), April 5, 2003.

  147. United States of America v. Faouzi Ayoub, Indictment; see also US Department of Justice, FBI, “Most Wanted Terrorists: Faouzi Mohamad Ayoub.”

  148. Israeli intelligence report, “Hizballah’s International Terrorism.”

  149. Bell, “Canadian a Suspect in Plot to Kill Israeli PM.”

  150. Ibid.

  151. United States of America v. Faouzi Ayoub, Indictment.

  152. Bell, Cold Terror, 85.

  153. Israeli Government, Office of the Prime Minister, “ISA Arrests Senior Hizballah Terrorist”; see also Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “Iranian Activities in Support of the Palestinian Intifada,” press release, January 30, 2003.

  154. Israeli intelligence report, “Hizballah’s International Terrorism.”

  1
55. Bell, “Canadian a Suspect.”

  156. Bell, Cold Terror, 113.

  157. Ibid.

  158. Bell, Cold Terror, 113–14; Israeli intelligence report, “Hizballah’s International Terrorism.”

  159. Adrain Humphryes, “Canadian Seen as Planner of Hebron Attack,” National Post (Canada), November 18, 2002.

  160. Bell, Cold Terror, 116.

  161. Author interview, former Israeli judiciary official, Israel, September 12, 2011.

  162. Israeli Government, Office of the Prime Minister, “ISA Arrests Senior Hizballah Terrorist.”

  163. Bell, Cold Terror, 116.

  164. Etgar Lefkovits, “Terror Suspect Given Six Months’ Administrative Detention,” Jerusalem Post, February 22, 2001.

  165. Bar, “Deterring Nonstate Terrorist Groups,” 469–93; Mikdad.

  166. Israeli intelligence report, “Hizballah’s International Terrorism.”

  167. Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “Details of Arrest of Jihad Shuman,” press release, February 21, 2001.

  168. Ibid.

  169. UK Parliament, Alexander Home, “The Terrorism Act 2000: Proscribed Organisations,” Standard Note SN/HA/00815, House of Commons Library, December 7, 2011, p. 25.

  170. Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at the Center for Special Studies, “Hezbollah (part 1): Profile of the Lebanese Shiite Terrorist Organization of Global Reach Sponsored by Iran and Supported by Syria,” June 2003.

  171. Jason Groves, “Hezbollah Will Avenge Iran Strike,” Sunday Express (London), November 25, 2007.

  172. Anthony Loyd, “Tomb of the Unknown Assassin Reveals Mission to Kill Rushdie,” Sunday Times (London), June 8, 2005; UK Parliament, “Pursue, Prevent, Protect, Prepare: The United Kingdom’s Strategy for Countering International Terrorism,” Her Majesty’s Government, March 2009, 29 (presented to Parliament by the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for the Home Department.)

  173. Buenos Aires, Argentina Judicial Branch, AMIA Indictment, Office of the National Federal Court No. 17, Criminal and Correctional Matters No. 9, Case No. 1156, March 5, 2003, 39, 210–11, 275.

  174. Israeli intelligence report, “Hizballah Leader’s Visits to Europe,” undated, author’s personal files, received August 28, 2003.

  175. Author interview, British intelligence officials, London, April 15, 2010.