Report: "Hit in Malaysia was Part of Broad Mossad Operation"
Citing Western and Middle Eastern intelligence officials, The New York Times claims that Hamas scientist Dr. Fadi al-Batsh, reportedly involved in negotiating arms deals with North Korea, was killed as part of a broader Mossad campaign to thwart Hamas operations overseas
IsraelDefense
| 26/04/2018
Details of Dr. Fadi al-Batsh shown during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur (Photo: AP)
The recent assassination of Hamas-affiliated scientist Dr. Fadi Muhammad al-Batsh was part of an alleged Mossad operation, The New York Times reported on Thursday.
According to the report, Middle Eastern intelligence officials said the killing was "part of a broader operation ordered by the Mossad chief, Yossi Cohen, to dismantle a Hamas project that sends Gaza’s most promising scientists and engineers overseas to gather know-how and weaponry to fight Israel."
Malaysia, which has no diplomatic relations with Israel, has been sympathetic to the Palestinian cause for decades. The intelligence officials said that Hamas, in recent years, had begun seeing the country as an ideal place to advance its research ambitions.
Dr. Batsh was sent to Malaysia to research and acquire weapon systems and drones for Hamas, the intelligence officials told the NYT. "Mossad has been particularly interested in Hamas’s advances in unmanned aerial and underwater vehicles, the officials said, which could be used to attack Israeli targets more effectively than the rockets Hamas used during its last wars with Israel."
Western and Middle Eastern intelligence officials also said that "Batsh may have been involved in negotiating North Korean arms deals through Malaysia," the report added. One of the intelligence officials added that Batsh had helped broker the deal, which was exposed by Egypt when it seized a shipment of North Korean communications components used for guided munitions that were being transported to the Gaza.
The Times also cited a UN report claiming that Pyongyang had established shell companies to circumvent international sanctions allowing it to conduct sales of "military-grade communication systems" through Kuala Lumpur.
Citing Western and Middle Eastern intelligence officials, The New York Times claims that Hamas scientist Dr. Fadi al-Batsh, reportedly involved in negotiating arms deals with North Korea, was killed as part of a broader Mossad campaign to thwart Hamas operations overseas
Details of Dr. Fadi al-Batsh shown during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur (Photo: AP)
The recent assassination of Hamas-affiliated scientist Dr. Fadi Muhammad al-Batsh was part of an alleged Mossad operation, The New York Times reported on Thursday.
According to the report, Middle Eastern intelligence officials said the killing was "part of a broader operation ordered by the Mossad chief, Yossi Cohen, to dismantle a Hamas project that sends Gaza’s most promising scientists and engineers overseas to gather know-how and weaponry to fight Israel."
Malaysia, which has no diplomatic relations with Israel, has been sympathetic to the Palestinian cause for decades. The intelligence officials said that Hamas, in recent years, had begun seeing the country as an ideal place to advance its research ambitions.
Dr. Batsh was sent to Malaysia to research and acquire weapon systems and drones for Hamas, the intelligence officials told the NYT. "Mossad has been particularly interested in Hamas’s advances in unmanned aerial and underwater vehicles, the officials said, which could be used to attack Israeli targets more effectively than the rockets Hamas used during its last wars with Israel."
Western and Middle Eastern intelligence officials also said that "Batsh may have been involved in negotiating North Korean arms deals through Malaysia," the report added. One of the intelligence officials added that Batsh had helped broker the deal, which was exposed by Egypt when it seized a shipment of North Korean communications components used for guided munitions that were being transported to the Gaza.
The Times also cited a UN report claiming that Pyongyang had established shell companies to circumvent international sanctions allowing it to conduct sales of "military-grade communication systems" through Kuala Lumpur.
