Trail of Blood

by Uzi Eilam

  “There are one or two more topics I want to bring up,” Deutsch joined the discussion after Nahari confirmed his participation with a nod. “The NSA has been carrying out extensive surveillance for quite a while, and they particularly noted the evasiveness of Mughniyeh, the Hezbollah Organization’s military commander. The man, the NSA claims, is skillful at changing identities, and apparently has an entire team at his disposal. Our American team has also identified a man who has been by Mughniyeh’s side lately. Here as well,” Deutsch warned, “we have to assume he isn’t necessarily a German scientist previously employed by the Siemens company. If he’s accompanying Mughniyeh, evasion tactics and false identities are employed for his benefit as well… We are managing to locate Imad Mughniyeh, even if not consistently, and the time has come to eliminate him once and for all.”

  “I totally agree with what Deutsch is saying,” Gideon intervened. “We’re still unclear when it comes to the terrorist organizations’ involvement and claiming responsibility for the various attacks.”

  “Gideon is right,” Deutsch continued. “And I have one more important point that might help clear some of the fog. There was one more area of activity that Mughniyeh and the German advisor were dealing with, actually in Buenos Aires, which is the nuclear arena.”

  “What? Nuclear?” Nahari interjected. “What exactly?”

  “The NSA’s information mentions an agreement by Argentina to convert the Teheran Research Reactor into a reactor operating on 20% enriched uranium fuel.”

  “That’s the same reactor given by the United States to Iran in the days of the Shah. The provision of fuel, originally 95% enriched, was stopped after Khomeini came to power,” Gideon reminded them.

  “Exactly so,” Deutsch continued. “Moreover, the nuclear topic is also related to Iran’s long-range missiles. There too, the NSA claims, Mughniyeh and the German scientist are involved.”

  “While discussing Iran’s aspirations to develop long-range missiles, we should remember that rocket scientist Dr. Thompson, assassinated by elements whose identity remains unclear, was also helping Iran. Perhaps he let them down, and they’re the ones who eliminated him? Does the CIA have footage from the security cameras? In their screening process using Big Data analytics, Dan and his team noted many points related to Iran, but no clear connection between them at this stage. I’d compare it, Nahari, to that ‘connect the dots’ exercise kids play at, where the dots are connected by number, one by one, until the unseen drawing emerges. In our case, we have the dots but we don’t have the numbers. Our challenge is to locate the numbers corresponding to the dots…”

  “The fact that we did not uncover the renewed nuclear cooperation between Iran and Argentina highlights the gaps remaining in our information despite widespread use of Big Data techniques,” Dan openly admitted. “We’ll have to increase our activity in this area.”

  “I will take it upon myself to increase the NSA’s involvement,” Deutsch said. “It has to be done in Washington, in a face-to-face meeting. Dan, I’ll take along the materials that you can give me, and I’m sure it’ll yield results.”

  “Your operations in Brazil are already behind us,” Nahari began to sum up the meeting, “and Gideon, Dan and his cyber team, and the commando fighters all deserve plenty of appreciation for a brilliant execution. The prime minister asked me to thank you on behalf of the nation,” Nahari declared ceremoniously before going on. “Clarifying the points that Gideon brought up is a top priority, which requires all of us to make a focused effort: Binyamin will coordinate the collection of material on Iranian nuclear development, Deutsch will convince the NSA to take part in screening Big Data intel concerning Mughniyeh and his people, and act as liaison between them and Dan and his team. Dan, in the meantime, will continue combing through the information using Big Data, trying to locate points that will disperse the fog, while the team continues to simultaneously construct new cyber arrays. Gideon, I ask that you continue working on formulating the big picture while focusing on a way to identify this ‘shadow man’ about whom we are still in the dark. Furthermore, we must expand our information about Iran’s plan to develop long-range missiles.”

  Everyone rose to their feet when Nahari did. He bid farewell to Gideon and Deutsch with a handshake before leaving the conference room.

  “We’re at an important, critical junction,” Gideon told Deutsch and Dan as they were on their way to the room used by Dan and the team. “That was a good discussion, but the crucial factor will be the results of the extensive work awaiting us.”

  “What do you think we need to do in order to identify the ‘shadow,’ as Nahari called him?”

  “I’m not sure, Dan. It’s obvious to me that you and the team have to enhance your algorithms. But I have a feeling, deep in my gut, of a sort of déjà vu, like something on the tip of my tongue. We should locate a place where our ‘shadow’ has to arrive at some point, and wait for him there.”

  Gideon did not allow himself to bring up the possibility that the mysterious “shadow” might turn out to be Nimer, his childhood friend.

  Chapter 26

  The name of the chief commander of the Revolutionary Guard, General Soleimani, had achieved legendary status in Iran. A graduate of Iran’s University of Science and Technology, majoring in electronics, he had emerged as a war hero following the Iran-Iraq war, with a reputation as a tough, charismatic leader, ruling the powerful organization with an iron fist. When the general summoned them to give a report in his office, Mughniyeh and Nimer understood that he intended to discuss the results of the activity in São Paulo.

  The office was spacious and included a giant mahogany table with decorative legs depicting the history of ancient Persia. An elegant display cabinet exhibited the medals and commendations accrued by the general in the various roles he had fulfilled. A map of the world covered an entire wall, eliminating the need for any additional explanations regarding the aspirations of the Revolutionary Guard and the man heading it.

  “Greetings, Mughniyeh, and hello to you too, Dr. Nimer,” the general thundered from his seat. “You are sufficiently acquainted with the Guard, and can assume I know all the details of the failed operation. I wanted to hear directly from you about the preparations, as well as the fitness of Hezbollah’s volunteers in the free-trade zone, and your insights from the cyber duel in the course of the failed attack in São Paulo.”

  “The plans and preparations for the combined attack were good, General Soleimani,” Mughniyeh began. “Yassin prepared the volunteers for a variety of situations. It is possible that if we had stuck to the old style of using car bombs, and had not spared the suicide bombers, it would have succeeded…”

  “What happened to the cyber experts we sent for training in North Korea? The report we received about them consisted entirely of praise.”

  “My assessment, General,” Nimer stepped up to reply, “is that in this case, the enemy’s cyber capabilities were better than ours. I asked Yassin to have the hacker crew analyze all the steps taken in order to understand what we were missing in activating the last, autonomous phase of the car bombs’ movement, as well as why the launch of the precision missiles failed. However, I would not recommend limiting yourself to their analysis, but would also handle it here, in your cyber unit at the Revolutionary Guard.”

  “Our unit has already been on it since yesterday. I’ve instructed them to find what it would take to ensure that we are not caught by surprise again in the future.”

  “That’s good news, General Soleimani, and I’m sure your people will get good results. I am willing to contribute my experience if you want me to. But allow me to note a positive surprise resulting from the activity in Argentina—confirmation of aid from Argentina in converting the research reactor to using 20%-enriched uranium fuel.”

  “Yes, I have gotten the report on this, and I commend you for this important accomplishment. Which brings me to a
n important point, also concerning the nuclear field…”

  Mughniyeh and Nimer froze in their spots, staring at the general, who had paused briefly. That man will continue to surprise me, Nimer thought. What else can they ask from me? As long as they don’t lead me away from my path of revenge.

  “We’ve run into some difficulties in our development project taking place in Natanz, and we thought you could assist the leading scientific team in finding a solution to a problem that has eluded them thus far. The subject is top secret, and you’re the only one with whom I’ve authorized sharing it. This concerns a plant we’re establishing to enrich uranium, using centrifuges. Possessing the technology to manufacture nuclear weapons will place us at the pinnacle of superpowers.”

  “What’s my connection to that technology? I do know a little about the topic from my engagement with the Siemens company, which was developing small yet powerful electric motors for a project by Bölkow-Blohm in its Munich plant, but they didn’t proceed with developing the centrifuges.”

  “We know more than you think we do about your scientific and technological background, Nimer. It will take you a few days to study the topic during a visit to the plant we’re establishing in Natanz. If necessary, we’ll ask you to meet Pakistani scientist Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, who sold us the technology. He’s the go-to person when it comes to enriching uranium.”

  “If I may, General Soleimani,” Mughniyeh addressed him, “I would like to tell my friend Dr. Nimer Al-Khaldi that he’s about to enter the highest level of strategic systems. The area of missiles, Nimer, to which you’ve already made a major contribution, and now the nuclear matter, grant you powerful means for carrying out the revenge to which you remain committed.”

  “General, I’m willing to get to know the uranium-enrichment project and would be happy to visit the plant. Only then can I assess whether my knowledge, along with what I’ll learn, would be of use to them.”

  “You’ll learn,” Soleimani decreed, in a tone that left no room for hesitation.

  ***

  For Nimer, the next three days proved to be an incredible journey of tours and presentations by the scientists of the uranium-enrichment project. The halls in which the centrifuges were placed in tight rows were located deep underground. Even the American “bunker buster” bombs could not harm the enrichment plant, the project’s engineers promised Nimer. Despite thousands of rotations per minute, the space was almost utterly silent, with only a hushed buzz testifying to the work of separating and enriching uranium. After a packed week of study, the head of the project asked to meet Nimer in the room they had placed at his disposal, also located on the same floor as the centrifuge halls.

  “You, Dr. Nuri, are a man of the technological world,” the manager began. “I wanted to hear your opinion on our project. I know,” he hastened to emphasize, “that this field is not your expertise, but it is important to us to hear your perspective on what you’ve seen thus far in this project, which is also an organizational and managerial challenge…”

  “You really do have a challenging project, and I was positively impressed by your people. They’re knowledgeable and loyal, which is evident in the results they’re getting. I understand the technology originates in the nuclear fuel enrichment facility for electricity-manufacturing power plants in the Netherlands? I visited the site when I worked with the German Siemens company.”

  “The source is indeed the European Union’s Eurenco enrichment plant, located in the Netherlands, but they wouldn’t dare convey such knowledge to us. Everything you’ve seen here exists thanks to the Pakistani scientist Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, who worked for Eurenco, and managed to take all the technological and engineering information regarding centrifuge-based enrichment to Pakistan with him.”

  “I’d be glad to go over the material,” Nimer replied, “but give me another day or two to study. There are files I haven’t even touched yet…”

  “Just tell me when, and I’ll make time to see you.”

  For long hours, Nimer sat browsing the technical files which he found fascinating. He read the texts, understanding both what they did and did not state explicitly. The sections written by Dr. Qadeer Khan to clarify the important points were a reflection of the man’s deep metallurgical understanding.

  The next morning, as he sat down at his file-laden desk, the entire floor shook with a dim noise, followed by another, and then another. Were the Israelis realizing their intentions of bombing Iran’s nuclear facilities? Nimer wondered. The project’s senior engineer entered Nimer’s room and told him not to worry, as it was merely a technical malfunction.

  “What malfunction, exactly?” Nimer asked.

  “Three centrifuges exploded. It’s happened before, and we still haven’t figured out the reason. It’s clear to us,” the man continued, “that it’s a result of the high speeds at which they spin, and apparently of the collapse of the small bearing on which the centrifuge sits.”

  “And what material is the bearing made of?”

  “Oh… it’s a tab made of special metal intended to be resistant to high pressure.”

  “I saw in the files you received from Dr. Qadeer Khan that he mentions a future bearing made of sapphire crystal.”

  “Really? We didn’t pay attention to that material. Did you say sapphire?”

  “Yes, sir, and sapphire is known as a particularly hard material. Apparently, Qadeer Khan had previously come across the phenomenon of bearings collapsing.”

  “You’re absolutely right,” the engineer marveled. “I’ll go see the project manager and recommend looking into the option of a sapphire bearing immediately.”

  The engineer departed, leaving Nimer wondering what other gaps of knowledge he would have to help Iran tackle.

  I believe the nuclear effort is the appropriate means of fulfilling my quest for revenge. And with the addition of long-range missiles, it will be perfect. Mughniyeh was right when he cited those topics as the epitome of revenge, Nimer thought, and his desire to delve into the entire field of nuclear weapons and study it thoroughly grew stronger.

  Chapter 27

  Dr. Deutsch agreed to Gideon and Dan’s requests to fly to Washington DC in order to confer with the CIA and the NSA. Gideon felt that in order to shed light on the darkness enveloping the perpetrators of the terror attacks, who had escalated to threats of long-range missiles and nuclear weapons, the collaboration must be enhanced. Dan prepared a document that summarized the main points of information collected by his team.

  “Thanks for the file you prepared, Dan. It’ll help me in the meetings in DC. I’ve also received an excellent briefing from the NSA team at our embassy here in Tel Aviv.”

  “Deutsch, I ask that you convey our concern about the steep escalation of the advanced technology being used by the terrorists as a result of advanced missile technology and the creation of a capability to develop nuclear weapons,” Gideon emphasized. “We can’t rest on our laurels due to our success in thwarting the attacks in São Paulo. Washington knows about Mughniyeh’s role in everything that Hezbollah is carrying out on Teheran’s behalf. It’s important to us to find out who is with him, helping him and the Revolutionary Guard in regard to technology. And actually, the time has come for Mughniyeh to exit the game and move on to a better world. Whether or not he ends up meeting those seventy-two virgins that shahids18 are promised, it would be best for all of us.”

  ***

  The spacious room in the bureau of the CIA’s deputy director never ceased to impress Deutsch. The window, stretching across an entire wall, looked out on the evergreen forest surrounding the constellation of structures comprising the organization’s headquarters. Deutsch thought how beneficial it must be for the deputy director, who was always embroiled in a tense flurry of events, to be able to glean peace and quiet from the verdant view through the window.

  The deputy director shook Deutsch’s hand w
armly, patting him on the back. “I understand that you stepped into quite a bit of turmoil in Israel. Congratulations for foiling the attacks in São Paulo, but I know the missions aren’t over yet; the majority of it still awaits you.”

  “Yes, sir, and that’s why I came, in order to recruit some help for the excellent team that Israel established to fight the array of threats. Not all of them have been exposed yet, and a troubling trend toward weapons of mass destruction is emerging. This is a trend advanced by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, with the assistance—as proven in previous attacks—of fighters from the Hezbollah Organization.”

  “You’ll also be attending NSA meetings, Deutsch. What do you intend to bring up there? What do they need back in Israel? You know how touchy the members of our national surveillance agency are about the exposure of information regarding cyber technology and innovative surveillance methods.”

  “Yes, sir, I’m familiar with that touchiness, but I’ll talk to them about what we Americans need no less than the Israelis. I’ll try to ease their mind about Israel’s ability to maintain confidentiality, and tell them that very little, if anything, leaks out of Israel in this regard.”

  “My people have updated me,” the deputy director continued, “that you’re closely tracking Imad Mughniyeh, a senior Hezbollah operative. What’s Israel missing? How will our capabilities here at the CIA fit in?”

  “Mughniyeh is roaming between the countries of the Middle East, and sometimes outside the region as well, like when he showed up in Argentina and Brazil. So far, we’ve been able to track his actions, but on the other hand, we haven’t managed to identify his assistants, whom the Israelis Dr. Gideon Ben Ari and Dan Avni call ‘the shadows.’ This is important, mainly when Israel has more than just hints pointing at activity leading to acquisition of weapons of mass destruction.”