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Mossad agent reveals details about intelligence operations

February 16, 2014 at 3:11 pm

Australian news network ABC reported on Monday that Mossad agent Ben Zygier, ‘Prisoner X’, who reportedly committed suicide in his prison cell 2 years ago, met with Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) agents and gave them “full details” of many operations carried out by Mossad, including plans for secret missions in Italy that took years to organize.

According to the Australian network this contradicts earlier reports which claimed Zygier was interrogated. The network stressed that it is unknown who initiated communication with the other.


Trevor Bormann, reporter for the programme ‘Foreign Correspondent, who was responsible for breaking the story last week, signed the report today. He says sources told the Australian news network that Mossad believed Zygier revealed detailed information to ASIO about his activities with the Israelis.

“Yedioth Ahronoth” also reported the story, pointing out that Zygier visited Australia with his family regularly. During his visits he changed his name and used new passports which raised the suspicions of the authorities. During one of his visits he applied for a work visa in Italy. The report also mentioned “Mossad was afraid he had revealed the organization’s secrets, including the details of a large operation in Italy.”

The Guardian reported last week that Zygier worked in a fabricated company set up by Mossad in Europe which sold electronic parts to Iran. The Australian journalist, Jason Koutsoukis, was the first to speak to Zygier about the matter in 2010. He said that during his work in Israel in 2009 he had been in contact with someone he described as “a source with ties to the world of intelligence,” and mentioned the names of three individuals with Australian–Israeli nationalities who worked in a fabricated company set up by Mossad in Europe. According to the Australian journalist, he was able to confirm the existence of the company.
 
The newspaper also reported that Koutsoukis said he spoke to the General Manager of the fabricated company and that it seemed strange he denied he knew what they were talking about, but later requested to speak to the journalist again to arrange a meeting with him.

The journalist then decided to investigate another source, which was a senior government official he knew, and was surprised to discover the official confirmed this. Then, news agency ‘Fair Folks’ reported the story of the 3 Australian citizens spying for Israel, although it refrained from reporting details of the fabricated company.

Furthermore, “Yediot Ahronot” noted that the Australian Attorney-General said there was no reason to conduct an internal investigation by the local public security of Zygier, and also said in a report published by an Australian news site that national security there knew of Zygier’s arrest.

It is worth mentioning that the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs announced yesterday that Canberra will investigate the death of Zygier and will examine its contact with Israel, including the contact between security agencies