12.07.2015 Views

By Way of Deception

By Way of Deception

By Way of Deception

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS
  • No tags were found...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

188 BY WAY OF DECEPTIONraeli ambassador Amir stayed outside, installing a telex machinein a nearby <strong>of</strong>fice to keep in direct contact with Meir and hercabinet in Jerusalem.After just an hour <strong>of</strong> talks, the terrorists agreed to an <strong>of</strong>fer <strong>of</strong> safeconduct out <strong>of</strong> Thailand if they released the hostages. They thenenjoyed a meal <strong>of</strong> curried chicken and Scotch whiskey, courtesy <strong>of</strong>the Thai government, and at dawn they left for Cairo on a specialThai flight, accompanied by Essaway and two ranking Thainegotiators.The Time magazine account <strong>of</strong> this event also noted that because<strong>of</strong> Essaway's role, it was "a rare instance <strong>of</strong> Arab- Israelicooperation. . . . Even rarer was the fact that the terrorists hadlistened to reason. The incident marked the first time that BlackSeptembrists had backed down."The journalists, <strong>of</strong> course, had no way <strong>of</strong> knowing that this hadbeen the plan all along. Neither did the Israelis, and with onesignificant exception — Shai Kauly, then head <strong>of</strong> the Mossad'sMilan station — they believed this was the operation Akbar hadtipped them <strong>of</strong>f about.Just to make sure the Mossad did fall for the diversion, Akbar wastold by his PLO associates prior to the Thailand affair to stay inRome for the moment, but that the operation was slated for acountry well outside the usual terrorist battleground <strong>of</strong> Europe orthe Middle East. Naturally, Akbar passed this information to theMossad, so that when the Bangkok attack took place,headquarters in Tel Aviv was not only convinced that this hadbeen the operation in question, but overjoyed that no Israelis haddied or even been hurt. There was quite an uproar within theMossad over the fact that there had been a warning <strong>of</strong> such anattack, but the location had not been pinpointed. There was aneven larger tremor within the Shaback, which is responsible forthe security <strong>of</strong> Israeli embassies and installations abroad.Akbar was certainly convinced that Bangkok had been the targetall along, so he contacted his katsa in Rome for another meeting.Since Mossad security is so meticulous, the Palestinians wouldnot have risked following Akbar to any <strong>of</strong> his rendezvous for fear <strong>of</strong>being seen and tipping <strong>of</strong>f the

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!