Historical Dictionary of Israeli Intelligence

ilar to the American AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System)

platform, to serve as a link between the commanders and the Israeli

troops on the ground in Tunisia. Alongside Barak on board the Boe-

ing was the deputy head of the Mossad’s operations branch. The air-

plane cruised on a civilian flight path between Sicily and Tunisia, and

its pilots were in constant contact with Italian air traffic control. The

controllers had neither the time nor the interest to ask the pilots too

many questions. To them, the Boeing seemed to be a charter flight of

El Al Israel Airlines. Seven Mossad operatives, using fake Lebanese

passports and speaking the right Arabic dialect, had prepared the way

on the ground. They had hired three vehicles and driven eight Israeli

commandos to the target. These men, belonging to the elite Sayeret

Matkal unit of the Israel Defense Forces, had landed in rubber

dinghies launched from a ship anchored a safe distance offshore. The

commandos were in three teams: one handled the on-site security;

they killed Abu Jihad’s driver who drove him to his villa near the Sidi

Boussaid neighborhood of Tunis. Another team operated jamming

equipment to disrupt telephone calls near the villa. The third team was

assigned to the target himself. They forced open the front door of the

villa, shot a Tunisian guard using pistols with silencers, and then spot-

ted Abu Jihad at the top of the stairs.

The details of this episode were published in the Israeli press soon

after the assassination. Officially, however, Israel has never admitted

responsibility for the assassination of Abu Jihad. Still, the fingerprints

on the entire operation are those of Israel.

ABU YUSSEF.Also known as Mahmoud Yussuf Najjer, Abu Yussef was

a high-ranking official of the Palestine Liberation Organization and

was killed on 9 April 1973 in the Spring of Youth Operationfor his

part in the Munich massacreof Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympic

Games. See also WRATH OF GOD OPERATION.

ACQUISITIONS.See INFORMATION SERVICE.

ADIV, EHUD (UDI).See TURKI, DAOUD.

ADMONI, NAHUM (1929–1996).Born in Jerusalem to middle-class

parents who immigrated from Poland, Admoni was educated at the

ADMONI, NAHUM•3

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