| Description |
1 online resource (streaming video file) (26 min. 30 sec.) ; 159840858 bytes |
| Summary |
It's thought a single, fluffy pillow killed a Hamas operative in Dubai. But it took 27 secret agents with pilfered passports and a bag of disguises to administer it. We investigate the incredible case of overkill and over-exposure that's astonished even the most hard-boiled of spies.Imagine waking up one morning to learn that overnight, you've taken a trip to a snazzy Middle eastern country ... and killed someone.That was the very strange, very abrupt awakening recently for a group of dual-national Israeli citizens - including four Australians - after a parade of people using their identities strode purposefully from one CCTV camera to another enroute to assassinating a Palestinian arms dealer in a Dubai hotel room.The finger is firmly pointed at the Israeli intelligence service Mossad but true to its long-standing policy, the agency with a history of opportunistic cross-border reprisals has neither confirmed nor denied the allegation. So what happened? And how did a bunch of Germans, British, French and Australians end up with their identities - including all their passport details and their mugs - plastered on front pages all over the world? Was this a clear cut case of identity theft or is it possible they fell foul of a surreptitious arrangement spoken about in hushed tones in Israel? It is very stupid of a western intelligence organisation to steal your identity without your consent. Because what can happen is that they're roaming around the world with your identity, and then you come along. - RAMI IGRA FORMER MOSSAD AGENTIt was lazy. It was sloppy. If you're good at this you steal the identities somewhere else. Go steal somebody you're mad at you know diplomatically mad at and you do it overseas. You have support networks. You steal these identities. It was sloppy. - ROBERT BAER FORMER CIA MIDDLE EAST OPERATIVEForeign Correspondent's Trevor Bormann, a former ABC Middle East correspondent, has been following the spy trail to Dubai, Jordan and Israel, as well as speaking to former secret agents for other intelligence services such as the CIA and MI6."The lives of the people whose identities were stolen could be in danger, depending on exactly who's been upset by this operation. They could become targets for opportunity." - HARRY FERGUSON FORMER MI6 AGENTThe spies we've spoken to agree the Dubai assassination was a mess. If you accept the conventional wisdom that Mossad agents did the dirty work, they may well have got their man but they've generated a maelstrom of ugly consequences for the agency, Israel and the hapless citizens who's passport details paved the way for it all |
| Notes |
Closed captioning in English |
| Event |
Broadcast 2010-03-16 at 20:00:00 |
| Notes |
Classification: NC |
| Subject |
Arab-Israeli conflict.
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H?arakat al-Muqa?wamah al-Isla?mi?yah.
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Intelligence service -- Political aspects.
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International relations -- Political aspects.
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Israel. Mosad le-modiin ve-tafkidim meyuhadim.
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Terrorism -- Prevention.
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Israel -- Tel Aviv.
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Middle East.
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United Arab Emirates -- Dubai.
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| Form |
Streaming video
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| Author |
Baer, Robert, contributor
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Bormann, Trevor, reporter
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Corcoran, Mark, host
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Ferguson, Harry, contributor
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Habib, Randa, contributor
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Igra, Rami, contributor
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Liebs, Tamar, contributor
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Melman, Yossi, contributor
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Menuchim, Ishai, contributor
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