False Flags, Fast Friends, Bang & Boom

Holy Moly. Foreign Policy magazine's Mark Perry has ruffled feathers with its exclusive investigation into Mossad/ Jundallah links and a spate of killings targeting nuke scientists inside Iran,  based on some Bush-era CIA memos and follow-up reporting. Some excerpts:

the memos show that the United States had barred even the most incidental contact with Jundallah, according to both intelligence officers, the same was not true for Israel's Mossad. The memos also detail CIA field reports saying that Israel's recruiting activities occurred under the nose of U.S. intelligence officers, most notably in London, the capital of one of Israel's ostensible allies, where Mossad officers posing as CIA operatives met with Jundallah officials.The officials did not know whether the Israeli program to recruit and use Jundallah is ongoing. Nevertheless, they were stunned by the brazenness of the Mossad's efforts..."The report sparked White House concerns that Israel's program was putting Americans at risk," the intelligence officer told me. "There's no question that the U.S. has cooperated with Israel in intelligence-gathering operations against the Iranians, but this was different. No matter what anyone thinks, we're not in the business of assassinating Iranian officials or killing Iranian civilians."Israel's relationship with Jundallah continued to roil the Bush administration until the day it left office, this same intelligence officer noted. Israel's activities jeopardized the administration's fragile relationship with Pakistan, which was coming under intense pressure from Iran to crack down on Jundallah. It also undermined U.S. claims that it would never fight terror with terror, and invited attacks in kind on U.S. personnel."

Fisk holds forth on the Israeli Spy Ring & Hezbollah electioneering. Spooky.

To read the about the latest spy vs spy fiasco between Middle East neighbours, see veteran journalist Robert Fisk's latest piece in the London Independent. In the run-up to Lebanese elections, it gives local perspective on Spies, Lies, and Mr Lebanon's Demise, in the words of the Palestine Chronicle. More than 30 people have been detained so far as suspected spooks, and others suspects have reportedly been scuttling to safety across the Israeli border.

Meanwhile, the US President is approaching Cairo and the press corps in Jerusalem seems to be relocating en mass. His tough new line is not embraced by Bibi. On National Public Radio, Barack Obama spelled out why the United States' special relationship with Israel requires some tough love.

"Part of being a good friend is being honest," Obama said. "And I think there have been times where we are not as honest as we should be about the fact that the current direction, the current trajectory, in the region is profoundly negative, not only for Israeli interests but also U.S. interests. And that's part of a new dialogue that I'd like to see encouraged in the region."

Iran executes one 'Israeli spy' and arrests another

Iran has hanged a telecom engineer convicted of spying for Israel, according to reports from Teheran quoted on the BBC. This turn of events should worry Hossein Derakhshan, an earnest Iranian-Canadian blogger who was just arrested on arrival in the Teheran. (Pictured above.) The young guy came under suspicion because he spent time last year in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, exploding propaganda myths by cavorting with the 'entity'--mainly females in bars-- and giving Israelis a 'human face' on his blog, Jahan News. Apparently, the man hailed as Hoder, the Blogfather, has already confessed to spying for Israel.

The Ahmadinejad regime obviously gets very annoyed about any links between Israel and its Iranian citizens. Hence the execution of Ashtari, pictured below.

Ali Ashtari, an Iranian, was convicted in June of spying for Mossad, Israel's intelligence agency. A video said to be of his confession was broadcast on TV.

He was convicted of sending "sensitive information on military, defence and research centres" for three years.

Israeli officials were quoted in June as saying that Israel was not familiar with the case.

Announcing the execution, which reportedly took place on Monday, Iran's official news agency said the case against the 45-year-old was clear and his appeal was summarily dismissed.

"He had spied for Mossad for three years," the state news agency quoted the intelligence ministry's director of counter-terrorism as saying.

Officials said Ashtari was recruited by Israeli secret services to intercept the communications of Iranian officials working in the military and its controversial nuclear programme.

Broadcasting his apparent confession, state TV showed Ashtari sitting down wearing an open-necked shirt and jumper.

"It was my mistake and perhaps I feared going to the intelligence ministry, and this fear was the reason why I kept choosing the wrong path," he said, speaking into the camera.

"Do not repeat the mistakes that I made."

The case unfolded throughout the year against a backdrop of concerns in Iran that Israel was planning to launch a pre-emptive strike against its nuclear facilities.

Israel is a leading advocate of strong action against Tehran, which it believes is seeking to develop nuclear weapons.

Iran denies that charge, saying its nuclear programme is intended for energy supply only.

US spy-bugs raise a stir

A news story in the Washington Post about how America is innovating insect spies the size of dragonflies was dismissed in some quarters as a blatant bid for a circulation buzz, with very sparse sourcing. But readers of israelity bites will recognize the type of mini-robotics which the Israelis already have in development. These dragonflies are not much of a leap forward compared to the IDF's bionic wasps and other robot weapons. Don't underestimate the capabilities of spymasters and their canny technicians, which can make James Bond's arsenal look like something out of an antiquarian's window. These mini-gadgets are not necessarily the paranoid fantasies of tweaking methamphetamine addicts, particularly in a place threatened by sporadic terrorism.
What's that buzzing noise? That irritating click? It's possible you are being watched. You have been warned.