Is Israel assassinating Iran nuclear scientists?

[Yoink 7]

Israel is assassinating Iranian nuclear scientists as part of a covert war against the Islamic Republic's illicit weapons program, the Daily Telegraph on Tuesday quoted Western intelligence analysts as saying.

The British daily said Israel's Mossad espionage agency was rumored to be behind the death of Ardeshire Hassanpour, a top nuclear scientist at Iran's Isfahan uranium plant, who died in mysterious circumstances from reported "gas poisoning" in 2007.

Other recent deaths of important figures in the procurement and enrichment process in Iran and Europe have been the result of Israeli "hits", intended to deprive Tehran of key technical skills at the head of the program, according to the analysts.

Advertisement

The Telegraph also quoted United States intelligence sources as saying Israel is using sabotage, front companies and double agents to disrupt the regime's illicit weapons project as an alternative to direct military strikes.

Nevertheless, it should be noted that Israel has been carrying out similar covert activities for about a decade, ever since Iran was first suspected of seeking nuclear weapons. The U.S. journalist James Risen has written recently that the CIA and the Mossad have planned together a number of sabotage operations against the Iranian program, including damaging power lines to nuclear sites in order to cause harm to computer systems and equipment.

The Telegraph also quoted Israeli officials as privately acknowledging the new U.S. administration is unlikely to sanction an air attack on Iran's nuclear installations and that President Barack Obama's offer to extend a hand of peace to Tehran puts any direct military action beyond reach for now.

As such, the reported goal of Israel's covert campaign is to delay or interrupt the Iranian research program, without engaging in a direct confrontation that could lead to a wider war.

"Disruption is designed to slow progress on the program, done in such a way that they don't realize what's happening. You are never going to stop it," a former CIA officer on Iran was quoted as saying.

"The goal is delay, delay, delay until you can come up with some other solution or approach," he added. "We certainly don't want the current Iranian government to have those weapons. It's a good policy, short of taking them out militarily, which probably carries unacceptable risks."

Reva Bhalla, a senior analyst with Stratfor, the U.S. private intelligence company with strong government security connections, was quoted by the paper as saying the strategy was to take out key people.

"With co-operation from the United States, Israeli covert operations have focused both on eliminating key human assets involved in the nuclear programme and in sabotaging the Iranian nuclear supply chain," she was quoted as saying.

"As US-Israeli relations are bound to come under strain over the Obama administration's outreach to Iran, and as the political atmosphere grows in complexity, an intensification of Israeli covert activity against Iran is likely to result."

[Nagishkaw 510]

You forgot to provide the link.

[Yoink 7]

You forgot to provide the link.

haaretz.com

[Nagishkaw 510]

[Mikkel 0]

I won't be surprised if this turns out to be true. The Israelis have a history of killing people they don't like.

[Ban Hammer 13,346]

I won't be surprised if this turns out to be true. The Israelis have a history of killing people they don't like.

[justashooter 430]

easier for them, than for us, but somebody's got to do it, and i'd never pass in that country.

[Mikkel 0]

I won't be surprised if this turns out to be true. The Israelis have a history of killing people they don't like.

Can you dispute that, or are you just making noise?

[Ban Hammer 13,346]

I won't be surprised if this turns out to be true. The Israelis have a history of killing people they don't like.

Can you dispute that, or are you just making noise?

i'd find it more interesting to see you prove they kill people they don't like. after all, you are the one stereotyping here.

[Mikkel 0]

I won't be surprised if this turns out to be true. The Israelis have a history of killing people they don't like.

Can you dispute that, or are you just making noise?

i'd find it more interesting to see you prove they kill people they don't like. after all, you are the one stereotyping here.

I'm stereotyping? Where? Israel orchestrated the assassinations of the terrorists involved in the 1972 Olympic massacre. They assassinated an Egyptian nuclear scientist, and generally attempted the same with varying success in order to foil Iraq's nuclear endeavours. Sounds familiar to what's proposed here? It's not at all uncommon for the Israeli to kill the people they don't like. Citing history does not constitute "stereotyping", and your failure to grasp this history does not warrant spamming pointless noise in the form of your arrogant use of emoticons.

Want more? Take your pick.

[I'm Gone 60]

I won't be surprised if this turns out to be true. The Israelis have a history of killing people they don't like.

Lord Moyne

[Mikkel 0]

I won't be surprised if this turns out to be true. The Israelis have a history of killing people they don't like.

Lord Moyne

To be fair, if we were to list all the victims of all the terrorism committed by zionist terrorist organisations to pave the way for the state of Israeli, it'd only be fair to also list all the terrorism subsequently committed by the other side, and that'd be one hell of a long list on both sides. There can be little doubt, though, that the Israeli government has been responsible for bombings and assassinations against nuclear programs and scientists in the Middle East, though.

Edited March 15, 2009 by Mikkel

[Ban Hammer 13,346]

I won't be surprised if this turns out to be true. The Israelis have a history of killing people they don't like.

Can you dispute that, or are you just making noise?

i'd find it more interesting to see you prove they kill people they don't like. after all, you are the one stereotyping here.

I'm stereotyping? Where? Israel orchestrated the assassinations of the terrorists involved in the 1972 Olympic massacre. They assassinated an Egyptian nuclear scientist, and generally attempted the same with varying success in order to foil Iraq's nuclear endeavours. Sounds familiar to what's proposed here? It's not at all uncommon for the Israeli to kill the people they don't like. Citing history does not constitute "stereotyping", and your failure to grasp this history does not warrant spamming pointless noise in the form of your arrogant use of emoticons.

Want more? Take your pick.

oh them evil israelis! better be nice to them or they'll hunt ya down and kill ya!

what i take offense to is the stereotyping of"The Israelis have a history of killing people they don't like." i seriously doubt the average israeli kills off people they don't like. while you are on a tear about governments taking out terrorists and individuals they deem a threat to national security, don't forget the brit sas killing off a few ira operatives in gibralter.

"arrogant use of emoticons"

[Mikkel 0]

I won't be surprised if this turns out to be true. The Israelis have a history of killing people they don't like.

Can you dispute that, or are you just making noise?

i'd find it more interesting to see you prove they kill people they don't like. after all, you are the one stereotyping here.

I'm stereotyping? Where? Israel orchestrated the assassinations of the terrorists involved in the 1972 Olympic massacre. They assassinated an Egyptian nuclear scientist, and generally attempted the same with varying success in order to foil Iraq's nuclear endeavours. Sounds familiar to what's proposed here? It's not at all uncommon for the Israeli to kill the people they don't like. Citing history does not constitute "stereotyping", and your failure to grasp this history does not warrant spamming pointless noise in the form of your arrogant use of emoticons.

Want more? Take your pick.

oh them evil israelis! better be nice to them or they'll hunt ya down and kill ya!

Clearly the precedent is established.

what i take offense to is the stereotyping of"The Israelis have a history of killing people they don't like." i seriously doubt the average israeli kills off people they don't like. while you are on a tear about governments taking out terrorists and individuals they deem a threat to national security, don't forget the brit sas killing off a few ira operatives in gibralter.

This is a thread about an article speculating Israeli involvement in the deaths of Iranian nuclear scientists. In this context "Israeli" is in reference to the government, and in the real world, the Israeli government has a history of killing people it doesn't like. Now that we've cleared up the semantics, do you have anything of value to add? What on Earth does the British government have to do with this?

"arrogant use of emoticons"

I'm simply asking you to contribute to the thread like an adult person. If that request is laughable to you, I think I'm wasting my time here.

[Ban Hammer 13,346]

oh them evil israelis! better be nice to them or they'll hunt ya down and kill ya!

Clearly the precedent is established.

clearly your sarcasm meter is broken.

This is a thread about an article speculating Israeli involvement in the deaths of Iranian nuclear scientists. In this context "Israeli" is in reference to the government, and in the real world, the Israeli government has a history of killing people it doesn't like. Now that we've cleared up the semantics, do you have anything of value to add? What on Earth does the British government have to do with this?

obviously, israel likes Mahmoud Ahmadinejad since he's still alive eh?

"arrogant use of emoticons"

I'm simply asking you to contribute to the thread like an adult person. If that request is laughable to you, I think I'm wasting my time here.

i'm sure your request is for people to agree with you. you won't find that with me.

Edited March 15, 2009 by charles!