Historical Dictionary of Israeli Intelligence

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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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