by Uzi Eilam
“Based on everything I’m hearing, there’s no doubt that a connection exists to North Korea and Vietnam, considered to this day to be at the pinnacle of using tunnels as a strategic component in warfare. We have to remember that the Viet Cong fighters, like the North Koreans, felt that their back was to the wall. This situation was the source of their creativity, along with their tenacious will to survive. I have no doubt that this feeling of desperation carried a lot of weight in the unusual achievements of fighters from both nations. If Iran intends to help its delegates in the Middle East maintain their ability to utilize their tunnels, there’s no one quite like the two pioneers in tunnel use, North Korea and Vietnam, to serve as a source of inspiration and knowledge.”
“Noam is right,” Dan declared, unable to conceal his pride. “What we need to do now is to continue collecting information in order to find out if and when this ‘tunnel summit’ – which is very appropriately named – will take place. This is another event that will probably be headed by Nimer, and we will have to find a way to thwart it.”
***
Nahari’s conference room was teeming with whispers as they waited. Something in the air was hinting that important events were about to take place. Based on Gideon’s recommendation, Nahari’s bureau had invited several experts on tunnels from the Ministry of Defense’s Research and Development Agency to participate. Noam was sitting with Dan’s team and whispered to Gideon that she was up to date on the main points of the information Dan had had time to convey to her. She did not mention that she had been the one to put together all the puzzle pieces and figure out how North Korea and Vietnam fit in. Gideon responded with a nod, but his mind was elsewhere. He still had not managed to shake off the intimate conversation in which Noam had touched upon the exposed nerve concerning his split from Suzy, his ex-wife and the mother of his children. Dan’s opening statement interrupted his contemplation.
“The tunnel summit will take place in Vietnam primarily so that Viet Cong veterans, who can barely walk, can take part. The place chosen for the meeting is Ha Long Bay, an area rife with tourists aboard dozens of riverboats. It’s a good choice in order to camouflage the activity, and we still don’t know which ship company they’ve contacted. Based on the information we’ve collected so far,” Dan continued fluently, “the meeting will be attended by Hezbollah and Hamas experts on tunnels, to be joined by the Viet Cong veterans and the North Korean tunnel engineers. Soleimani has asked Nimer to lead the project. Iran’s embassy in Hanoi is handling all the arrangements, and assigning a three-person security detail to the meeting.”
“Very interesting,” Binyamin noted. “That Nimer fellow seems to be popping up everywhere… Do we know what guise he’ll be appearing under this time?”
“This time, assuming nothing changes,” Dan replied, “he’ll be the German Dr. Heinz Golfgang from the University of Berlin.”
“What action do you suggest we take, Gideon?” Nahari interjected. “How do we foil a meeting that could prove very harmful to us?”
Gideon took a deep breath, taking his time before answering.
I sense Nimer, and he’s closer than ever. Has the time already come for us to confront each other face-to-face? Will I be capable of seeing him for what he is now, rather than as the boy from the neighboring village? He saw that Nahari was waiting and noticed that his daughter Noam was holding her breath.
“The preferred option, Nahari, is that we board that riverboat along with them and thwart their meeting. This, of course, would be done with the necessary caution, taking into account the risk that their security team will fire their weapons. We can’t afford a diplomatic incident. We can also think about delaying the ship from setting out, and taking quiet action to postpone or even cancel the meeting.”
“What’s the other option?” Nahari persisted.
“We could book a special ship for our team and stick as close as possible to their ship, while taking into account the accepted standards concerning tourist cruises in Ha Long Bay,” Gideon promptly replied. “The alternative to thwarting the meeting would be full surveillance of everything said there, as well as employing cyber countermeasures to some of their activities.”
“You’ll lead the entire maneuver, and think carefully about who should come along in order to cover any possible developments. Vietnam is far away, and you won’t be able to receive any support from here.”
“That’s fine, Nahari. We’ll think about the team lineup, and I’ll bring our suggested list for your approval. Meanwhile, you should update your representative at our embassy in Hanoi, who should begin tackling the logistical components of the operation immediately.”
“Binyamin will take care of that, while you,” Nahari addressed Dan and the young people, “should step it up and bring us some results.”
Chapter 35
Throughout the long flight from Teheran to Hanoi, Nimer continued to delve into the topic of tunnels. The file of information given to him by General Soleimani opened a window into a fascinating subject. He learned that seismic sensors, which indicated the existence of underground spaces by sending signals deep into the ground, were not sufficient in themselves to verify the existence of a tunnel. Only a combination of sensors, including acoustic ones, along with specialized algorithms, might indicate tunnel location with a high degree of probability. He exchanged whispers with the two experts flanking him on either side and by the end of the flight already felt more confident and ready for the meeting.
Thanks to his German passport under the name of Dr. Heinz Golfgang, Nimer had no problems passing passport control at Hanoi Airport. Hezbollah’s two tunnel experts also got through with no issues. The Revolutionary Guard’s representative was there to greet them, and informed them that Hamas’s delegate, a security guard from the embassy and two North Korean engineers were already waiting on the minibus that would take them to the village of Tuần Châu, on the coast of Ha Long Bay. During the journey, which lasted about three hours, they drove past villages, rice paddies and groves of fruit trees, as well as towns full of houses built in typical Vietnamese style. Nimer was tempted to kick back and enjoy the ride but knew he that he could not afford to do so. The three hours were dedicated to a preliminary conversation and getting to know the experts from North Korea.
“We will break away now for a brief period of rest at a boutique hotel called Villa Tuần Châu,” the man from the embassy updated them. “We have two hours before the ship sets sail, and you deserve to rest. The two ex-Viet Cong fighters are waiting for you at the villa.”
The elderly Vietnamese gentlemen did not speak English; the representative from the embassy served as interpreter. Their hearing was also impaired the interpreter was forced to repeat some words not picked up by the ears of the Viet Cong seniors. Nimer was surprised by the intensity of their hatred toward the Americans so many years after the war had ended. Each of them had a personal story about losing family members killed in the war. Nimer thanked them for agreeing to meet, praising their experience in the realm of tunnels and expressing his confidence that he had much to learn from them. Cold drinks, green tea and espresso coffee drinks proved very timely, Nimer thought, preparing for a relaxed hour. However, the embassy representative soon entered with a concerned expression, asking Nimer to step out with him. He had an urgent report, he said.
“What happened? What’s so urgent?” Nimer questioned the man once they found a quiet corner near the villa.
“I’ve received a message from Teheran. The general wants us to know that certain information regarding the meeting here is known to the enemy.”
“Well, that’s not unexpected; we must ponder what is the best way to proceed now,” Nimer said, pausing to consider the options. “Let’s try to expedite the cruise,” he decided. “Please make every effort to allow us to sail off immediately!”
It proved quite easy to prod the attendees into getting ready and boarding
the minibus to drive the short route to Emeraude’s pier. The ship was already docked, and they only needed to summon the captain. Within minutes, the anchor was raised, and the ship was on its way. Nimer went up to the top deck and was startled by the sight of the bay and the various large and small islands rising from its blue, placid waters. Each of the two thousand islands was densely covered with a tropical forest of evergreens. Many ships were cruising through the waters of the bay, and Nimer thought it was a site worthy of a vacation, but only after their mission was accomplished.
***
Having had very little advance warning, Gideon debated whom to choose for the mission with which they had been tasked. He knew Nahari would approve whatever proposal he would make, which increased the weight of responsibility that accompanied every choice. Dan and the three members of the Talpiot team were indispensable, of that he was certain. It was also imperative to include the head of the tunnel detection project from the Ministry of Defense’s Research and Development Agency. Dan mentioned Deutsch and his role in coordinating aid from the CIA’s people in Vietnam, if it proved necessary. Finally, Gideon recalled the pointed look Noam had directed at him at the end of the meeting in Nahari’s bureau. Her unique perspective made her presence no less vital than that of Dan’s computer whizzes, he thought.
The lengthy flight to Hanoi gave Gideon the opportunity to consult Deutsch and Dan regarding the activity awaiting them. Their seats in business class allowed the three to sit at a proximity enabling quiet conversation.
“The embassy’s security officer,” Dan updated them, “is, in fact, one of Nahari’s people; he will be waiting for us at the airport in Hanoi.”
“The CIA’s representative at our embassy is joining your man,” Deutsch contributed. “I am sure that we will hear updates and details about additional preparations that are taking place from both of them.”
“I want to add,” Dan noted, “that we sent the command and control system comprised of micro-drones, ‘wasps,’ as we’ve been calling them, to the Hanoi Embassy two days ago. The six drones themselves are in my carry-on luggage. I wonder what the security inspectors at Ben Gurion Airport thought when they x-rayed my bag. They didn’t say anything…”
“Taking the ‘wasps’ with us was an excellent idea, Dan. We’ll have a backup and a complementary measure to the surveillance system, as well as a means of identifying the people who will give presentations under Nimer’s leadership,” Gideon complimented him, immediately considering the possibility of viewing Nimer as he was today.
The embassy’s security officer was surprised to see that a woman had joined the team. He whispered in Gideon’s ear, asking what her role was in such a sensitive and potentially dangerous project. Gideon reassured him, telling him that Noam had served as an officer in the Israeli Air Force, and was equally as fluent in the relevant material as any of the other team members. Gideon introduced the crew, particularly the American Dr. Deutsch.
“I’ve heard nothing but good things about you,” the security officer told Deutsch, shaking his hand. “Your man from the CIA has been in constant touch with me for the last few days. He’s waiting for us at the Emeraude shipping company’s pier. Due to time considerations, we decided not to drive but rather to fly you guys to Ha Long Bay on board a seaplane from local airline Hai Au. We’re in a race against time so as not to lose the tunnel conference group, heaven forbid. We know that they are already on their way to the bay by car…”
While the co-pilot stored their equipment in the rear, the pilot started the light plane engines. Conscious of the timeline challenge, all of them quickly found their seats and the plane took off. The silence during the flight was an indication of their collective tension, which was helped by the plane’s bumpy ride through the clouds. Less than an hour later, the aircraft began to descend, and Ha Long Bay stretched out in front of their eyes. An inconceivable number of islands of various sizes poked out of the waters of the bay. Every island, even the smallest of them, displayed a tropical forest of evergreens. The silence reigning in the plane was replaced by cries of amazement and a nearly tourist-like ambiance. The Australian pilot landed the plane on the waters of the bay, and Gideon wondered how landing seaplanes managed to merge with the dense traffic of tourist boats. The plane rose from the water to a concrete slope, parking not far from Emeraude’s pier. A cruise ship was docked near the pier, and Gideon’s heart beat wildly in response to the possibility that they might board it and join Nimer and his group.
“The cruise ship with the other group set sailed off ten minutes ago,” the CIA agent regretfully informed them. “The company wouldn’t wait, and apparently received significant compensation for a quick departure, and possibly a promise of more to come, which they did not want to lose…”
“So, what do we do now?’ Gideon urged, unwilling to let failure slow him down. “Can we board another ship?”
“That’s exactly it,” the CIA operative replied. “I took care of leasing a ship as backup for this exact possibility. We can board the Emeraude ship that is docked here right now. It’s entirely at our disposal.”
The ship sailed away from the pier the moment the last of their group boarded it. Dan and the Talpiot team immediately spread out their surveillance equipment and the micro-drones’ operation system. A cabin was allocated to each two team members, and Gideon dedicated the first few minutes to touring the ship with Deutsch and Noam. The CIA representative said that fortunately, the ship they were tracking was the exact same model as the one they were on. Gideon, Deutsch and Noam thus examined the possible locations where Nimer and the tunnel experts might be conducting their meeting. During the tour, they concluded that the tunnel summit activity might be taking place on the ship’s lower deck, in the small hall next to the restaurant lounge.
“Everything’s set up, Gideon, and the first surveillance shift is already in place,” Dan reported, coming up to meet Gideon in the upper deck. “Should we send out the ‘wasps’ already, or wait to get more information from the surveillance?”
“Let us wait a little,” Gideon replied, scanning the lively traffic of vessels with binoculars. “I never imagined that this bay was so teeming with ships… Wait a minute – I think that’s our target ship! Come take a look for yourself.”
“Should we tell our captain to try to ease closer? They’re cruising pretty slowly here.”
“Sure, that is a good idea. In the meantime, let’s see and listen to what your surveillance array is picking up.”
***
Using the assumed identity of Dr. Heinz Golfgang, Nimer decided to waste no time, and gathered the attendees in a moderately sized conference room next to the restaurant on the lower deck. He paid tribute to the Viet Cong fighters, saying that everyone was looking forward to hearing how they had managed to defeat the great superpower, the United States. As the interpreter conveyed the request to the Vietnamese, Nimer looked at the aged veteran warriors, who seemed to have no idea what their fellow attendees wanted from them. For several long minutes, the interpreter tried to explain the request to the Vietnamese veterans. This tedious dialogue culminated in the warriors’ statement that the large number of tunnels during the war against the Americans – more than 150 miles in length and forming an entire underground city – was at the root of the Viet Cong’s success. The senior fighters described the complicated maze of tunnels, some of which branched off into dead ends. The Americans, the Viet Cong warriors claimed, had gotten lost as they attempted to figure out where each branching tunnel led. Recent technology and means of detecting hollow spaces underground were alien to the ancient Viet Cong fighters.
“Let’s hear, Dr. Golfgang, what our Korean friends can tell us,” the more senior of the two Hezbollah operatives suggested. “They’re the ones who faced South Korea. In fact, however, the United States was responsible for designing the means to detect their tunnels on the border between North and South Korea.” Hamas�
��s tunnel expert joined the request to allow the North Koreans to share their experience in the battle of wits over concealing and detecting tunnels.
The two North Korean engineers surprised their audience with a clear, detailed presentation regarding the entire history of the tunnels since the Korean War ended in 1953. One of the important points in their survey was the nature of the tunnels, designed to allow rapid passage of troops, including tanks and armored vehicles. This characteristic, the engineers explained, determined the size of the attack tunnels as well as the location of openings deep within the territory of South Korea.
“What did you do in order to prevent the detection and identification of the tunnels by the Americans in South Korea?” the senior Hezbollah operative persisted.
“We identified the technological principal on which the Americans based the detection systems. They were using a variety of sensors, each relying on a different principle…”
“And your response?” Nimer urged him on.
“We found a way to make the spaces of the tunnels behave as if they weren’t spaces,” the senior engineer from North Korea replied proudly. “We laid out special nets within the tunnels that canceled out the images received by the detecting systems. The secret is in the materials and texture of these nets. We know how to manufacture them in our country, and can supply them for an inexpensive price,” the senior North Korean specialist replied, after quietly consulting with the other engineer for several minutes that seemed like an eternity to the other attendees.
Nimer declared a break in the discussion, recommending that people go out on the deck to enjoy the view of the bay and the unique islands contributing to its charm. He intended to confer with the North Koreans in private, further discussing their response to the threat of the tunnel detection systems.
***
“They are talking, Gideon, and we can hear almost every word!” Dan updated Gideon, who had remained sitting on the upper deck with his binoculars in hand. “We deployed the ‘wasps,’ which have already settled on the lower deck as well as in several good vantage points. You should come down to the surveillance room and join us as we begin to intercept the transmissions from the micro-drones.”
