Which conservative did Piers Morgan ban from his show?

World

All the Details on the Alleged Spy Story Coming Out of Israel: Espionage Accusations, Secret Meetings With Netanyahu, and a Media Gag Order

Feb. 14, 2013 1:50pm Sharona Schwartz

Did Australia’s Public TV Endanger the Mossads War on Terror Operations?

Ben Zygier (Screen shot from ABC Australia)

The mysterious jail suicide of an Australian immigrant to Israel has been capturing headlines in Israel and Australia, a story cloaked in intrigue and allegations of international espionage. According to former intelligence officials, the widespread publication of details in the case – if true – may also damage Israel’s clandestine efforts to scuttle terrorist weapons acquisitions and Iran’s nuclear program.

According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the country’s public broadcaster, in 2010 an unnamed prisoner it called “Prisoner X” committed suicide while in solitary confinement in the high-security Ayalon Prison in Israel. Though the identity of this prisoner was allegedly kept secret even from some of the prison guards, the Australian TV report named him as Melbourne-native Ben Zygier, who the show claimed was a Mossad agent who had changed his name at least twice.

Adding to the intrigue, the program reported he was being held in the highest-level security cell with constant camera surveillance originally designed for Yigal Amir, the assassin of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

Due to an Israeli court-issued gag order, Israeli media were never allowed to report on the case. Tipped off that the Australians were going with the story, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this week called in the chief editors of Israel’s major news organizations to convey to them the sensitivity of the case in the hopes some details would remain confidential, according to Haaretz.

The Australian report never said why Zygier was arrested and incarcerated, but now new details may be emerging.

On Thursday, a Kuwaiti paper reported that the Mossad kidnapped Zygier from Dubai after he’d allegedly betrayed the Israeli spy service. The newspaper Al-Jarida also claims that Zygier was part of the hit squad that killed senior Hamas operative Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh in January 2010. That operation received international attention after Dubai authorities published security camera footage and still photos of about two dozen individuals it claimed were part of the operation.

The Times of Israel provides more information on the Arabic report:

Basing itself on what it said were “well-informed Western sources,” the daily said Zygier subsequently contacted the authorities in Dubai and, in return for their protection, provided them with details of the assassination, including the names of those involved and their photos. More than 20 alleged Mossad operatives were said by Dubai to have been involved in the hit.

Zygier was then given shelter in Dubai, but Israel succeeded in reaching his hiding place, kidnapping him, and placing him in solitary confinement in a maximum-security jail where even his wardens were unaware of his identity, referring to him only as “Prisoner X,” the report said.

Quoting a “former Mossad commander,” the daily reported that Zygier had carried out a number of secret missions, of which the Mabhouh assassination was the last, before “switching to the other side.”

No other media outlet has verified that report, but Israeli defense attorney Avigdor Feldman told Army Radio on Thursday morning that he met with Zygier in his cell in December 2010, a mere two days before he allegedly hanged himself. He said Zygier was facing “serious” charges. He said Zygier “had been told that he faced very lengthy imprisonment, and would be ostracized by his family, and that impacts on the soul of a man.”

The Sydney Morning Herald reported Thursday that the Australian intelligence service ASIO was also investigating Zygier more than a year before he killed himself on suspicions he was using his passport to spy for Israel. The Australian television program reported Zygier had changed his name at least twice and had applied for passports under the new names, raising authorities’ suspicions. Australia’s Fairfax Media also reported that ASIO had questioned him about the passport use.

This as the Guardian reports Zygier may have been running a front company in Europe for the Mossad selling electronic equipment to Iran and elsewhere. TheBlaze cannot verify this or any of the other theories circulating, though Israel’s Channel 2 News on Thursday suggested maintaining a level of skepticism about the new theories.

Israeli and Australian media contacted his parents and sister in Australia, none of whom were interested in commenting, while Zygier is no longer able to defend himself against the rumors appearing in anonymously-sourced articles.

The publication of the story, while compelling with its cloak-and-dagger espionage allegations, could also have serious ramifications for Israel’s security. Israel’s Channel 10 examined some of the potential damage to Mossad operations, if the allegations are true. The Times of Israel conveyed part of the debate:

In countries such as Iran and Syria, the authorities would now be checking through their records, working out when Zygier entered, who accompanied him, and who he met with, the TV report said.

The ABC Australia reporter who broke the story, Trevor Bormann, said in interviews on Wednesday that he was first told about the case in Israel by an Israeli source who said he had “a terrific story” to tell but couldn’t publish it in Israel because of “a gag order” surrounding the case. Bormann said he worked on the story for 10 months, putting the pieces together.

Israel’s Channel 2 News provided another unusual piece of information in the case, that Zygier, educated as a lawyer, had trained in the private law firm headed by Yaakov Neeman, who is presently Israel’s Justice Minister.

Benghazi, IRS, AP...What's next? Only TheBlaze TV offers the truth from Glenn Beck, Andrew Wilkow, and Real News from TheBlaze. Get instant access and a free trial here.

Back to The Blaze »

Comments (29)

LeFaux Jew
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 5:13pm
I wonder if this is related to the Azerbaijan Mossad connection?

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
SamIamTwo
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 4:38pm
Kuwaiti paper, now there’s a source you should be cautious of…a Kuwaiti paper. LMAO Is there just one and I can find it on the net to verify it? I may have overlooked it…let me read it again and again.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
txgrrl
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 4:16pm
The Jerk will somehow twist this into the Jewish conspiracy for world domination seeing as he’s bought into all the lies in the Protocols of the Elders of Zion (a Russian forgery, by the way). I’m a Jewish cowgirl and I totally dominate in the area of baking cakes! Yum!!!

Mr. Jerk, want a cupcake? It might make your day better. I made pink cupcakes for Valentine’s Day. Be happy. Be nice.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- sillyfreshness
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 5:05pm
  Don’t mess with the “chosen people”.
  
  Report this comment
GlezeleVayne
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 3:24pm
Hey Jerk, Vanunu’s a Jew. How can you trust him, seeing as you are an anti-semite and all?

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
RJJinGadsden
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 2:45pm
Doesn’t anybody remember the incident Gygier was to have been involved? As I recall he was supposed to have been involved in one of the biggest boondoggles that the Mosad had anything to do with. After the assasination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in his Dubai hotel room, January 2010. Major big worldwide stink afterwards. They looked goofier than those depicted in the movie, The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight. To heap even more embarrassment upon the mission the twenty or so involved had their fake British passports discovered. I believe in one or more hotel rooms. When they had to scatter in their hopes to E&E Ben Gygier was either picked up by local authorities or surrendered to them and made a deal to identify the other agents involved for sanctuary in Dubai. This incident made news day in and day all day back in 2010. Major black eye for Israel and the British were not at all happy.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 2:52pm
  Should have mentioned that Mahmoud al-Mabhouh was a rather nasty character in his own right as a Hamas operative and leader. I also stand corrected on the passports. From this news video they did not all have specifically British passports. Hey, it was three years ago. Getting that old timers malady CRS, Can’t Remember Sh/t.
  
  Report this comment
- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 2:56pm
  Here is the video
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzzzTtpo8AY
  
  Report this comment
bikerdogred1
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 2:42pm
I smell a rat,Israeli,didn’t arrest Benny boy for no reason,they must have had good reason.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- The_Jerk
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 2:54pm
  Israel is a belligerent. Ask Mordechai Vanunu.
  
  Report this comment
- Fubared
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 5:10pm
  Why when we have the belligerent Jihad Jerk to daily tell us in the most belligerent manner that Israel is belligerent and who would know belligerent like the belligerent Jihad Jerk? Why ask elsewhere when pavlov’s dog is licking himself for all to see? Lalalalalalalalalalalick.
  
  Report this comment
- tzion
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 5:50pm
  @Jerk
  Ask Vanunu? Why not look at the facts and decide for ourselves? Afraid we’ll reach the “wrong” conclusion?
  
  I look at Israel and see a country that has upheld every peace treaty it ever signed and never attacked a country that didn’t attack it first. Really belligerent.
  
  Report this comment
UNALIEN
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 2:24pm
it is Bush’s fault

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Landon410
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 2:11pm
i can some this up in a much shorter way than the article did

some guy we cannot I.D. died in prison, he may or may not have been the Zyger guy, who may or may not have been form Austrila, he may or may not have been working with isreal , and may or maynot have been a spy, he may or may not have changed his name a couple times, and he may or may not have been involved in selling electronics, he also may or may not have killed someone, he then may or may not have been kidnapped by isreal

nothing can be verified, its all rumor, but it may or may not be true

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Trigus
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 2:20pm
  “TheBlaze cannot verify this or any of the other theories circulating, though Israel’s Channel 2 News on Thursday suggested maintaining a level of skepticism about the new theories.” is there anything that Glenn and his staff can confirm before tossing a story out there?
  
  Report this comment
- Carrie3570
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 2:26pm
  I agree. I have read this story twice and then left and came back and read it again. I was thinking I had to be reading it wrong. However, I think this is just a rumor type story.
  
  Report this comment
- Jenny Lind
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 3:51pm
  Reminds me of budadee, budadee, budadee that’s all folks! If you get that you are older.;
  
  Report this comment
- Dismayed Veteran
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 4:21pm
  I heard the following from a source that wanted to remain anonymous because he wasn’t authorized to discuss this in public.
  
  A small infant like angel was seen carrying some type of bow with an arrow notched. Authorities are uncertain of the little angel’s intent but clearly little angels are barred from carrying weapons.
  
  Report this comment
- Xylliab_of_the_Znarghh
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 5:14pm
  On the other hand, if it wasn’t true, it would be much easier to disprove than it is to prove it if it is true. If Zygier didn’t die in an Israeli prison and there isn’t a gag order surrounding the details of his incarceration and death, then somebody must know where he is and what he is doing or how he actually died. Surely an organization like the Mossad could easily uncover this information and dispel these rumors if they weren’t true.
  
  Report this comment
- softunderbelly
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 8:22pm
  Do you think his electronics store will have a going out of business stereo sale? I could use some good speakers. Just sayin…
  
  Report this comment
Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 2:09pm
So what is the connection between the alleged spy and the Obama connection with the terrorists he has allied with and duly armed?

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- kaydeebeau
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 2:35pm
  Basing itself on what it said were “well-informed Western sources,”
  
  Report this comment
MarkWheeler
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 2:06pm
So What’s the story?? This is newsworthy? Would it be any different if Obama sent a drone over to assassinate?
The bottom line is Iran must be stopped. If they develop a nuclear bomb it will be used. The world will never NEVER be the same again. Life for everyone on earth will be “Brutish and Difficult” . People should think hard and long about it. All stock markets will be in major peril!! That means NO EMPLOYMENT !!! Its like Europe in WWII, Your hungry go dig up weeds and turnips!!

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- GroundZero is Nuclear Demolition x3
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 2:25pm
  You are the fear mongering bully here, just like those who said CCW would result in OK coral shoot outs on a daily basis. Nothing more than a brainwashed religious fanatic, you will say anything to justify illegal acts carried out by the israeli gov. “Serious charges” mean nothing more than kangaroo court in yidish.
  Please join the IDF, they need more martyrs who can think for themselves.
  
  Report this comment
- soybomb315_II
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 2:43pm
  Yoda said it best….
  
  “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”
  
  Report this comment
Saff SGT
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 2:01pm
I dont trust anything with Obama in office stay armed stay alert and stay alive

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
AUsername
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 1:58pm
wow there such an ally *sarc*

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Fubared
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 5:10pm
  Wow, you are clearly the epitome of moron. Really.
  
  Report this comment
- ofass
  Posted on February 15, 2013 at 12:02am
  No, he is just an idiot.
  
  Report this comment

It appears that you have Javascript Disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser preferences for a better user experience on TheBlaze. You can not comment without Javascript enabled.