Disappearing Prisoners: Official Israeli Policy - Transparency Isn't Israel's Long Suit
31 January 2013
By Stephen Lendman
Israel is a rogue terror state. It's a serial abuser.
It spurns rule of law principles. It mocks democratic
values.
It tolerates no criticism. It targets anyone
challenging its authority. It does so against anyone
considered threatening. Jews are as vulnerable as
Muslims.
Disappearing prisoners is one of many Israeli high
crimes. They're longstanding, shocking, and monstrous.
Prisoner X reveals more about Israel's dark side.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) broke the
story. Correspondent Trevor Bormann covered it.
In early 2010, an unidentified man was incarcerated in
Israel's "most secure prison cell."
"The guards taking him there had no idea who he was or
what he'd done. What they did know was that the cell
had been purpose designed and built for one previous
occupant - the assassin of former PM Yitzhak Rabin,"
Yigal Amir.
An unidentified prison service officer said:
The individual "is simply a person without a name and
without an identity who is placed in complete and
absolute isolation from the outside world."
"We don't know if he gets visits, or if anyone even
knows he's even in jail. There is confidentiality
surrounding the detainee in every respect."
Information leaked. Media reports followed.
Australian-Israeli Mossad agent Ben Zygier was
Prisoner X. He was Victoria Jewish Community Council
executive director Geoffrey Zygier's son.
His Australian passport identified him as Ben Allen.
What did Australia's government know about him and
when?
Why was it silent about his secret indictment, trial
and imprisonment? Why did it do nothing to help? Why
did it suppress information about his death? Why did
it do nothing to save him?
According to its Foreign Ministry spokesman, Bob Carr,
Israeli authorities informed its ambassador about an
Australian national in their custody."
Allegedly he didn't tell Canberra. Saying so doesn't
wash. He's obligated to keep his government fully
informed.
"(Israeli) coverage was shut down by one of the most
comprehensive suppression orders conceivable."
"One more blip of information" emerged. "Prisoner X -
held in a (round-the-clock) video-monitored, regularly
checked, suicide proof cell - had killed himself."
It begs the question. Did he or didn't he? Israel is
security-obsessed. Mossad buries its secrets. Dead men
tell no tales. Zygier was a Mossad agent.
Did he kill himself or was he murdered? Perhaps we'll
never know. Targeted killing is longstanding Mossad
policy.
Zygier was held in Israel's Ayalon maximum security
prison. Bormann said it conceals many secrets.
"In early-to-mid 2010, an inmate in his early thirties
arrived here under great secrecy and security."
Guards were given strict orders. Don't ask questions.
They called him Prisoner X. Other prisoners knew
nothing about him. Disappearing him was a state
secret.
Zygier became a nonperson. He had no name or identity.
He was completely isolated from the outside world.
In December 2010, Australia's Jewish media said he
died in Israel. He'd be buried in Melbourne's Jewish
cemetery. Cause of death wasn't explained. Little more
was said.
Australia's ABC television changed things. It revealed
some of what Israel wanted kept secret. Prisoner X was
34-year old Ben Zygier. He was imprisoned for
allegedly endangering Israeli security. How isn't
known.
Did he blow his cover? Was he selling state secrets?
Did he expose or endanger other agents? Did he commit
other treasonous acts? Whatever it was, Israel wanted
suppressed. Perhaps new information will explain.
Some reports suggest he was acting on behalf of
Australian intelligence. Perhaps he planned supplying
its Security Intelligence Organization or media
sources information on Mossad activities in Australia.
Whether true or not may surface later.
On February 14, YNet News headlined "Israel
acknowledges 'Prisoner X' existence," saying:
After two years of coverup, the gag order on Zygier
was "partially lifted."
Israel's Justice Ministry left him unnamed. For the
first time, it said "a man held in maximum security
prison died while in Israel's custody, and that the
death was ruled a suicide."
"For security reasons, the prisoner was held under a
pseudonym."
"The prisoner in question was found dead in his cell
two years ago."
In accordance with Israel's Inquest of Death Law, an
inquiry into his death was ordered. A writ followed.
It ordered information about him "held behind closed
doors. The order still stands."
"National security prevents the release of any other
details in this case."
"These aspects of national security have been reviewed
by the Central District Court, which decided to impose
a comprehensive gag order on the case."
"The order was given at the request of the defense
establishment, and was approved by the Justice
Ministry."
All possible measures were taken to keep information
about him suppressed. Official records were sealed.
On March 4, 2010, Zygier was secretly indicted.
Israel's Central District Court ruled his case "highly
classified (top) secret."
Hearings were held behind closed doors. Minutes on
proceedings "were immediately deposited in the court's
vault."
Everything about his case remains classified. Nothing
was revealed publicly. It's not known if the court
ruled on his case or closed it on a technicality.
Zygier's defense attorneys and family members had to
sign confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements.
Doing so prevents them from confirming or denying
anything.
Information released excluded what's most important to
know. Details didn't compromise state security.
Israel's top civil and human rights lawyer, Avigdor
Feldman, last saw him alive. "They asked me to see
him, and a day after that he was gone," he said.
"When I saw him, I saw no signs that he was going to
kill himself. He sounded rational, and he asked
pertinent legal questions that I can't expand on."
In 2011, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI)
petitioned to have Israel's gag order lifted. Israel's
Central District denied it. A Supreme Court appeal
followed.
Classified information was revealed in court. Justices
advised ACRI to strike its appeal. It did so to avoid
a detrimental legal ruling.
ACRI's chief legal counsel, Dan Yakir, said he first
learned about an inquest into Zygier's death in court.
Few details were revealed.
"As for the question of negligence," he asked, "how
can it be that prisoner held in (Israel's) most secure
(prison) commited suicide?"
Saying so doesn't pass the smell test. He was closely
monitored 24-hours a day. He was never out of sight.
Haaretz provided extensive coverage. News of Zygier's
death shocked his parents, it said. On February 13,
the Australian Age newspaper said he "was under
investigation by Australian intelligence months
before" Israel arrested him.
Allegedly it was for "fraudulent use of his Australian
passport for espionage purposes."
Israel's gag order imposed censorship. Doing so was a
"pathetic attempt to turn back the clock" to
pre-Internet days.
Prisoner X reflects a classic case of "Israeli
failure." It shows "Israel's most sensitive government
agencies are not functioning."
If information now known is right, Israel's Prison
Service, Justice Ministry, attorney general, courts,
Mossad, prime minister, and perhaps others share
blame.
More may revealed after Israel partially lifted its
gag order. Australia's ABC said Zygier emigrated to
Israel in the late 1990s. He took the Hebrew name Ben
Alon. He performed IDF service. He worked for Mossad
before he died.
He was recruited in 2000. He served for a decade. He "undert(ook)
assignments in enemy states using his Australian
passport."
He was "one of three Jewish Australians who were
working for a (European-based) front company set up by
Mossad." It recruited agents and sold electronics to
Iran.
He married an Israeli woman. He had two children.
Before he died, he was negotiating a plea bargain. He
expressed concern about spending years in prison. He
denied charges against him.
"Israel can't just 'disappear' people," said Haaretz.
"Forced disappearance," reflects the worst of "dark,
dictatorial regimes." Israel replicates the worst of
them.
"Since the '50s, several Israelis suspected of
espionage and other security breaches have been caught
and locked up for many years, after being convicted in
secret trials, attended by a handful of people who
were in on the affair."
"Most of these prisoners were intelligence and
security people who had strayed, and exposing their
acts would have put their operators in an embarrassing
light."
Zygier's the latest. Israeli authorities justify
forced disappearances "as a ploy." Haaretz they do so
"to mislead the enemy and protect security secrets and
the lives of active agents."
Mordechai Vanunu spent 18 years in prison. Israel
incarcerated him for exposing its nuclear weapons
program. At least 11 were in solitary confinement.
He endured cruel and barbaric treatment. He's still
denied all rights. He's trapped and can't leave
Israel. He's no traitor or spy. He broke no laws. He
did the right thing. He wanted the world to know what
was happening.
Protecting national security is one thing. Doing so
doesn't justify lawlessness. Everyone's entitled to
habeas rights and due process. Totalitarian methods
deny them. Israel's dark side reflects them.
A Final Comment
On February 13, ACRI petitioned Israel's Attorney
General Shai Nitzan. It requested more information on
Zygier's death.
Chief legal counsel Dan Yakir said there's
"considerable public interest in information about the
investigation into the cause of death of the prisoner,
and in answers to the following questions:
Was this indeed a suicide? Was there negligence in the
supervision of the detainee? Has any official body
taken responsibility? What steps have been taken to
prevent the recurrence of similar events in the
future?"
He raised questions about Israel's gag order. Partial
lifting falls short. He expressed concern about "a man
held in detention under heavy secrecy, and nothing was
published about the reason for his arrest or the
circumstances surrounding his death."
Everyone has a right to know. Vital questions need
answering. Accountability is fundamental. Transparency
isn't Israel's long suit. Nor is respecting the law's
letter and spirit. Rogue terror states operate that
way.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached
at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. His new book is
titled "How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized
Banking, Government Collusion and Class War"
http://www.claritypress.com/Lendman.html Visit his
blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to
cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on
the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive
Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and
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