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At Large
Dubai's Eleven
Who assassinated Mahmoud al-Mabhouh? Blaming Israel first won't cut it.
Perhaps we've all been brainwashed by Hollywood's version of international assassination operations, but from the standpoint of logic alone one assumes that a professional service or individual does not take on the physical and political dangers of killing someone unless there is a clear benefit to the action. So what's the story behind the assassination in Dubai that occurred on January 19 and wasn't made public until last week?
Retribution for earlier crimes may be considered a benefit, but the crime itself would appear to require justification of broad, and usually, continuing effect. This is, of course, the so-called revenge motive. "An eye for an eye" is biblically sourced. The Israelis would seem to be well suited for such a justification. But then the action must have some relativity in terms of time and importance.
If all that is so, how does the assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh fit in? We are told that he participated in or personally carried out the killing of two Israeli soldiers back in the late eighties. Rumors are circulating that he had been "involved" in recent times in the arms business for Hamas. There's no doubt he had risen to be a relatively important individual in that organization, but no particular focus had been placed on him that would signal a reason for murder at this time.
For the moment let's just accept the thesis that for one reason or another Mr. Mabhouh was worthy -- as films and television would say -- of getting whacked. We have been told that the Dubai police (actually British-trained Special Branch) have determined that an assassination team of eleven people was involved. Doesn't that seem like an exceptionally large group that would be needed to kill one man? Isn't one of the principles of a professional "hit" to keep the operation as simple as possible while using the fewest possible team members?
The point of the small, simple operation is that fewer things can go wrong and fewer people can make mistakes. Eleven operators in what once was called an "executive team" are possibly required if other activities are expected to be necessary. Such efforts as diversionary tactics, communications degradation, surveillance and other similar functions would certainly justify increased numbers of participants above the more normal 3-5 person team. Heavy surveillance, though, doesn't seem to have been necessary. Mr. M had been traveling to Dubai regularly from Damascus and apparently always stayed at the same hotel. Nor was a diversion or control of communication needed.
Operating in a modern environment such as Dubai might require establishing several alternate escape routes by air and sea, but this contingency structure requires additional time to establish rather than an enlarged team. The tactical plan for exfiltration appears to have depended most importantly on a delay in the eventual discovery of the dead Mr. Mabhouh. This delay in discovery would allow for evasion and escape through regular civilian transport. In passing it should be noted that the victim was found in a sealed room with the door electronically locked from the inside. Reportedly the target was killed in the evening of January 19 but not discovered until late the following morning.
At this point one must question the method of killing that was used. According to the Dubai police, the target was smothered with a pillow. Another account, this time by Hamas, stated that in addition to suffocation Mr. Mabhouh was electrocuted first. How these two instrumentations worked is not explained, but they were apparently effective -- if inexplicably exotic. Perhaps some form of locally assembled taser device was used to initially subdue the target, who was then suffocated with the pillow.
All of which brings up the question of why this target was selected in the first place. Mahmoud al-Mabhouh's brother has suggested that Mr. M had been the subject of a failed poisoning effort some years ago, but no evidence has been put forth. Hamas sources have indicated that two Palestinian double agents were involved in luring al-Mabhouh to Dubai. These men, according to Hamas, are both Fatah members. Fatah denies any involvement and says Mr. Mabhouh was done in by rival elements in Hamas itself.
Israel's external intelligence service, Mossad, is now the media's favorite sponsor of this operation. Naturally, Mossad says nothing one way or another. Why should it? The British, French, Irish and Germans are all going through the expected outrage against the possible Mossad use of those countries' passports in identity kits for the assassination team. The U.S. has " deplored" the affair in appropriate diplomatic style, while anti-Israeli and anti-Hamas elements internationally have had a propaganda field day.
It may seem naïve to question the circumstances and process of the killing of the not-well-known Mahmoud al-Mabhouh. He was, nonetheless, an important player in the dark and dangerous world of Israeli/Palestinian covert war. He may have been a professional Hamas killer himself. However, there is just something fishy about this whole story of eleven-plus operators needed to kill one man by suffocating him with a pillow in a hotel room. But maybe we're all too influenced by Jack Bauer.
About the Author
George H. Wittman writes a weekly column on international affairs for The American Spectator online. He was the founding chairman of the National Institute for Public Policy.
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Ret. Marine| 2.26.10 @ 6:23AM
I saw nothing fishy about this plan and execution. It was justified. This man was the go- between in the dangerous world of the terrorist types going all the way back to the Ahmadenijad regime. The eleven man team, as was quoted by the lame-stream and Dubia officials, was nothing more than a cover as plain as the usurper in our house. You shall reap what yea sow. He was an arms dealer for the factions involved with the fighting between the Israeli's, fatah, and hamas.
Yeah too bad another scum-bag went back to his father lucifer where he rightfully belongs. I will not lose any sleep over this, and neither should anyone else. If you play with hellfire you are eventually going to get burned down.
fbom| 2.26.10 @ 10:45AM
:) As you sow, so shall you reap.
Ben| 2.26.10 @ 6:36PM
Turnabout is fair play.
coal carrier| 2.26.10 @ 9:13PM
One, who kills in the name of God, will surely burn in hell for eternity.
tony| 5.24.10 @ 4:39PM
How right you are, which is true as well when applied to the people who committed this crime. Murder is murder, no exceptions. Our own Government has known for decades that the government of Israel has both sanctioned and financed assassinations on anyone they see fit. The holier than thou mentality goes both ways.
Alan Brooks| 2.27.10 @ 7:59PM
"The British, French, Irish and Germans are all going through the expected outrage against the possible Mossad use of those countries' passports in identity kits for the assassination team. "
The Germans don't like their passports being used?
poor little things.
tony| 5.24.10 @ 4:46PM
Please explain to me why it is alright for Israel to build their illegal settlements, bulldoze orchards that have been used for over a hundred years, run over British Citizens with a TANK, on camera no less, but anything done in retaliation to Israel is unforgivable? This make no sense from a real Christian perspective. To think this is right borders on ignorance at best, and support for terrorism at least.
Curly Smith| 2.26.10 @ 9:43AM
Can we be certain that the Dubai Police weren't actually trained by the "Special" Branch? And, didn't I see the other day that they Dubai Police are now looking for an additional 15 "persons of interest"? Isn't that "special"!
Frankly, my money is on "auto-erotic asphyxiation" and the assassination plot is just a Keystones Kops cover-up.
Alan Brooks| 2.28.10 @ 9:05PM
all the perps? a smokescreen--
by wondering why so many were there, we confuse the issue. The Israelis are the savviest.
Johnny Knuckles| 3.1.10 @ 2:57PM
Simplest explanation is considered the best until the real story emerges. Which in cases like this is never. Nice work, Smith.
WilliamInWien| 2.26.10 @ 10:27AM
I, too, am unconvinced by the large number of possible players needed to eliminate one person. How good is Dubai passport control? In any case, the older one gets in the terrorism business, the more enemies you make and the more mistakes you make. In any case, I too, am "outraged" that he was not given an international version of his "Miranda Rights" or the opportunity to repent.
JP| 2.26.10 @ 11:11AM
From what I've read in the foreign press, the team of 11 used forged passports of Jews living in Isreal. The Dubai police released video of some of the members of the team as they departed through the Dubai airport that evening. The female member of the team used a passport of a British Jew living in Isreal. This hit appears to have had 2 purposes -one, murder; and two, humiliating the Mossad.
The Mossad, from what we've learnt from the past is too professional not to realize that video survaillance is everywhere. There are now 11 photos of the hit squad circulating around the world. Who knows, perhaps the Isrealis are getting as unprofessioanl as the CIA? But, I seriously doubt it.
Interested Conservative| 2.26.10 @ 12:01PM
JP is opining in the appropriate direction.
The more disclosures are made, the more Mossad looks to have some role, but nobody seems to look beyond this single action.
Occam's Razor, as always, is applicable, yet here it argues for more, rather than less activity.
Surely the act could have been done with much less available evidence, therefore, why so much effort, so much headcount, so much coordinated action - from the Fatah roles, to the ingress and egress, to the methods and means?
What else is the Mossad doing, which all of this activity implies?
Tim| 2.26.10 @ 10:40AM
Sometimes bad things happen to bad people.
Ben| 2.26.10 @ 6:37PM
True, a meteoroid could land on Netanyahu's house.
Betty Boop| 2.28.10 @ 6:04PM
Well, Bennie, careful what you wish for. Ever hear of self fulfilling prophecy?
Tim| 2.26.10 @ 10:45AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Captain Renault: Major Strasser has been shot. Round up the usual suspects.
Michael Westen| 2.26.10 @ 12:30PM
The high number of operatives may have been necessary to track him and follow all his minute movements without letting on that he was being shadowed. The trackers would have broken off in time while others picked him up.
WilliamInWien| 2.26.10 @ 2:01PM
Eyes Wide Shut! Stay at the same hotel more than once? Why not a different tent in the desert each night? Unless you believe that you are safe. There is no statute of limitations on changing the scorecard. Still, this looks like a "false flag" operation, somebody outlived his usefullness.
jaydee| 2.26.10 @ 4:45PM
The world's first pillow fight fatality.
Ben| 2.26.10 @ 6:37PM
Mossad did it.
Blackash| 2.27.10 @ 3:08PM
Yeah, Ben, If I were an Israeli agent, Iran would be the first place I'd go.....with an Israeli passport, too.
Charles Martel| 2.28.10 @ 2:44AM
Thanks, Ben, for stating so succinctly what the Arabs intended for all of us to believe. Your elaborate proof only closes the sale. How could anyone read it and not condemn the perfidious Jew?
+++
Richard Baker| 2.26.10 @ 9:03PM
A dead Moslem terrorist is a good Moslem terrorist (with apologies to General Philip Sheridan).
Jeffry Pages| 2.27.10 @ 1:46AM
I say, was the chap read his "rights?" I think this is the most important consideration. If indeed he was then the assasination was probably in order. If not, then round-up Bush, Cheney and the Halliburton culprits, once and for all! Methinks that this was a CIA hit, ordered by Bush and Cheney! The Jews had nothing to do with it, but are being made to look like the "patsies."
Christopher Holland| 2.27.10 @ 1:50AM
The list of suspects is now over 20 - bigger than a football team. And 3 of them went to Iran! Really, Mossad agents fleeing to Iran?
PCC| 2.27.10 @ 1:56AM
Bush did it.
Martin Gray| 2.27.10 @ 9:09AM
The list of suspects has now grown to 26. By the time the press grows bored with this news perhaps half the population of Tel Aviv will be named. Well good for Dubai tourism in any case. Does anyone seriously believe 26 people were required to kill this guy?
Pingback| 2.27.10 @ 10:43AM
The American Spectator : Dubai's Eleven | Dubai for Visitors links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
c stryker| 2.27.10 @ 11:06AM
i believe you have been brainwashed by hollywood. to kill a political leader in a hostile foreign country takes a tremendous amount of planning. i would not be suprised if over 100 agents were involved in some small way.
i shudder to think what would have happened to the agents if captured,they were very brave indeed.
i admire a country that goes after the enemies that kill and terrorize their citizens. is that not a function of the government to protect its citizens?
bush did the correct thing after 911,as an american he was outraged,i suspect obamas reaction would be very different. alot of speech making and no action. bush freed iraq and stabalized the region yet somehow he is a bad guy,the dems do not live in the real world and appear to be communist inspired. go kill some more scum isreal !!!! bush will go down as one of the top presidents,obama will make carter look like george washington.
Pingback| 2.27.10 @ 11:41AM
3 choices for april – Istanbul, Turkey Travel Blog | Turkey Traveling links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Yechielshlipshon| 2.27.10 @ 12:48PM
So far, I have not seen the obvious reason Dubai is frisking so much; why, if this chap is so important, did this rat police force and security unit failed to protect this so important person. Answer this, Dubai Smucks.
Pingback| 2.27.10 @ 2:24PM
Top 10 Tips from an HR Director when moving to Dubai for a Job … | Tip Gatherer links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 2.27.10 @ 2:36PM
The American Spectator : Dubai's Eleven | Dubai Hotels - Read Dubai Hotels Previews a links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 2.28.10 @ 12:25AM
2/28/2010 Update « DubaiScene links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 2.28.10 @ 2:34AM
Metallurgical Engineer (Dubai) | Engineering Jobs in Dubai, UAE … | Metallurgical Eng links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Walter Sobchak| 2.28.10 @ 12:38PM
So you're saying he was asphyxiated by a bustier? Thanks; now I have to get that image out of my head.
Betty Boop| 2.28.10 @ 6:00PM
Boop-oop-ba-doop! Don't you know? George Bush did it with my very own corset!
出会い| 7.21.11 @ 3:48AM
itumomiteimasu
Air Jordans| 8.14.11 @ 11:11PM
is good