by Uzi Eilam
Ja’afari examined his friend Razek’s expression, realizing his speech had convinced the man, despite the Malaysian general’s skepticism regarding the extent of his own interest in distant areas of conflict in the Middle East and in American ports.
“I understand the strategic consideration,” Razek agreed. “What, then, is our next step?”
“We should prepare the cell that will infiltrate the port immediately,” Ja’afari replied quickly. “This is a good pilot program, and we should carry it out as soon as possible. I suggest we conclude our discussion here and move on to preparation. I still have a few topics to discuss with Dr. Fakari.”
“Okay, General Ja’afari, we’ll go put the plan in motion.” Razek had been won over by the plan’s logic and, to Ja’afari’s satisfaction, was clearly exhibiting his enthusiasm and support.
Chapter 33
Gideon remained pensive after his long meeting with Deutsch. He was disappointed to hear Deutsch’s assessment of the NSA director’s stance. Deutsch had emphasized what he had learned regarding the major surveillance agency’s priorities. Singapore was low on the totem pole, according to the director, and what they had been receiving from the agency’s local attaché was all they could expect.
Gideon remembered John O’Connor from their previous cooperation with him in California and in Paris, and he appreciated the FBI man’s impressive ability to gauge people effectively. The direction O’Connor had pointed out to Deutsch for identifying who was responsible for leaks within the task force struck Gideon as correct, but also troubled him. He decided to let the subject go until he felt more refreshed and clearheaded and hurried off to update Dan on these latest developments.
“Well, at least we have the support we’re receiving from the NSA’s people here at the embassy.”
“It’s unclear how long their good people here will be allowed to continue. Deutsch told me the NSA director was highly critical of his people’s cooperation with us on confidential topics that shouldn’t be exposed to outsiders.”
Gideon paused briefly to look at Dan, whose brow creased as he attempted to take in what he had just heard. He knew Dan wasn’t giving up, and he sensed that the young man was already coming up with an action plan that would take the latest news into account.
“You think we’ll have no one to rely on but ourselves?” Dan half-asked, half-stated.
“I think we’ll still be receiving assistance from Israel. Singapore might not mean much to the head of the NSA, but Israel is its true ally, and I hope it’ll be possible to count on significant help from our end if the United States decides to drag its feet.”
Gideon knew Dan might be an expert on electronics, but his own experience and status told him that a visit to Israel, even if it was only a very brief one, would allow them to receive some criticism and wise advice in order to feel confident of the path they were taking to defend Singapore from a wide array of threats.
“We have to go to Israel and meet the right people if we want them to help us.” Dan seemed to intuit Gideon’s thoughts.
“Let’s go see Tan now, while he’s still at the office, and lock down the trip with him. We could fly tomorrow, at the end of the day, and dedicate the morning to setting up meetings in Israel.” Gideon did not want to lose any time, and he was planning on dedicating only one day to the trip, knowing it would be a long, busy one.
***
“You said this was urgent?” Tan asked Gideon and Dan. He was truly not a fan of surprises, especially not late at night.
“Indeed, it is urgent, Tan, especially after Deutsch told us what his phone calls to DC achieved.” Gideon tried to speak calmly and confidently, in order to refrain from unnecessarily worrying the general. “We can’t count on a lot of help from the United States, especially when it comes to the NSA’s assistance in the field of cyber, and we were thinking of recruiting more help from Israel. We certainly trust Dan’s team and celebrate their achievements, but defense challenges are intensifying, mostly due to China’s involvement. We were thinking of just one day of consultations in Israel. Dan has to be with me for some of the meetings. He needs to meet with communication technology professionals and get the latest updates on the subject of defending against cyber attacks. Rogel and Tyler can operate the “war room” here during the twenty-four-hour period when Dan’s away.” Gideon knew he needed to put Tan’s mind at ease.
“If you agree,” Gideon continued, “we’ll fly tomorrow night in order to get there tomorrow morning, Israeli time, and conduct meetings throughout the day. At the end of the day, we’ll take a night flight back here. You’ll hardly notice we’re gone.”
Tan knew he needed to approve Gideon and Dan’s request. He asked Dan to make sure the “war room” would be operating properly and heard from Gideon that, in case of emergency, it would be possible to set up a consultation with Dan through a secured communication channel.
***
Gideon rang Deutsch’s room when he arrived at the Shangri La with Dan. “Are you still up? Can I come see you for a minute?”
“Come on over, Gideon. I’m still working on summing up this long day,” Deutsch replied, opening the door’s security latch. Since being tailed that morning, an incident that was still unexplained, Deutsch had agreed to take extra precautions in regard to his personal security. “Will you have some whiskey on the rocks with me? We’ve earned it at this time of night,” Deutsch proposed when Gideon entered the room.
“Thanks, Deutsch. I’ll raise a toast with you to the success of the trip to Israel that I wanted to update you on. But I’d add another sip and raise a glass to revealing the source of the leaks.”
“Okay, Gideon, we have quite enough reasons to drink and hope for success. When are you leaving? Is Tan in the picture?”
“Tan heard from Dan and me about the need for some consultations in Israel. We explained that this was a result of the fear of massive Chinese assistance to Iran in the area of cyber warfare. We emphasized that your report summarizing the conversations with DC implied that the NSA is not going to go out of its way to help us when it comes to cyber. He understood and agreed, although he certainly wasn’t thrilled about it.”
Gideon moved on to the topic of the leaks and the possible directions of investigation John O’Connor had pointed out to Deutsch in their conversation. The discussion stretched on, and Deutsch exhausted the whiskey supply from the mini-bar after offering Gideon more and more drinks. Gideon insisted these questions about the leaks had to be resolved as soon as possible and suggested that Deutsch set up a private meeting with Dr. Chang Mei while he and Dan were in Israel. He also asked Deutsch to dedicate some time to visiting Dan’s “war room,” assuming the mantle of “responsible adult.” Deutsch agreed to Gideon’s advice and requests, and the two parted knowing that the next few days would be crucial in their attempt to deal with the threats looming over Singapore.
***
Gideon still hadn’t forgotten the sight of Yitzhak Nahari’s bureau, or the mixed feelings that Nahari’s presence inspired in him. These feelings included a sense of confidence in the man mingled with the sensation of being exposed to a set of piercing eyes from which nothing could be concealed. Binyamin, Nahari’s loyal assistant, was already waiting at the office in preparation for the meeting with Nahari, and he shook Gideon’s and Dan’s hands with a massive display of force.
“I’m sure you’re well aware of what’s happened in Singapore in the last few days,” Gideon said, feeling more at ease in his interactions with Nahari. “We lost track of a terrorist cell that managed to pass through a tunnel under the Straits of Johor and has yet to be captured. Dan’s surveillance and the defense against cyber attacks set up at the container terminal worked properly—”
“Yes, Gideon, we know all that,” Nahari cut him short. “You’re not here to fish for compliments, are you?”
Gideon updated Nahari on t
he latest aspects of the situation and on the cold shoulder the Americans were giving them.
Nahari cut to the chase. “So you’re asking that the secrets of defense against cyber warfare that Israel has been developing for years be made available to Singapore?”
“Not necessarily, Yitzhak,” replied Gideon, who had been preparing for such questions. “We were thinking that Dan would meet some communication and cyber experts here and describe to them what he knows about the threats and the means his team has employed. Dan would be happy to reveal the defense secrets he’s developed and the way they’re being incorporated into a comprehensive defense system. I’m sure that Dan, who knows most of these people from the period when he served in the Intelligence Corps, can contribute some things that will be new to them, as well as get a critique and some good advice. I will meet with the director general of the Ministry of Defense and his staff later in the day. I’ll do everything I can to convince them of the urgent need for assistance from every possible direction.”
“We’re familiar with the Americans’ global considerations,” Nahari noted. “They’ll open up and pitch in only when they assess the threat pertains to the United States itself.”
“But here’s the absurd part, Yitzhak. We know, and this has also been conveyed to the Americans, that Iran has defined its actions in Singapore as a prelude to activity targeting Israel and the United States. They’ll improve their cyber capabilities and learn how to smuggle people, with weapons and explosives, in shipping containers. If we don’t eliminate this threat, we’ll be dealing with it in our own ports. The United States has to acknowledge the risk of such attacks being carried out in its ports.”
“We’ve got a good relationship with Langley and with the Pentagon, and it won’t be hard to emphasize this message to them, Gideon,” Nahari said. “You can stop worrying about that. But according to the update I got from my people, you and Dan are dealing with a more personal concern.”
“A personal concern? Uhm…what are you talking about?”
“The Iranians in Kuala Lumpur have you two in their sights, and you shouldn’t ignore that. They know more than you’d expect about the role you’ve played in the successful thwarting of attacks thus far.”
Nahari was direct and blunt. He was gazing fixedly at Gideon. Dan shifted uneasily in his chair, looking as if he wanted to speak up. Gideon turned to look at the young man, signaling him to stay quiet with a subtle hand gesture.
“Yes, Nahari, you’re right, and I’m not ignoring this information about the Iranians’ intentions. Dan uncovered a communication that mentioned my name, and I believe both Dan and Deutsch, the American, were brought up in it as well. I admit that I didn’t attribute immediate, serious significance to it. But it’s important that you know that General Tan has employed security measures, and fully intends to protect us. Dan, do you have anything to add?” Gideon turned to Dan, who seemed eager to speak.
“I only wanted to say that, according to the information I’ve collected, Tehran and Beijing are both applying pressure on the generals in Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian Razek and the Iranian Ja’afari, to prove they’re capable of carrying out successful attacks. Adding the task of eliminating us is a result of their frustration over their last few failures.”
“That’s interesting, Dan.” Nahari was unusually complimentary. “And we’re not surprised. We also remember that you were abducted for two days by Iranian Quds Force fighters in Paris.”
“I wouldn’t compare Singapore to Paris,” Gideon chimed in. “Singapore doesn’t allow the sort of freedom that Paris does, and it doesn’t have the immense number of foreigners who move freely through the streets of the capital of France. The ability to enter France from any member state of the European Union adds another layer of complication in tracking hostile elements.”
“Your personal security,” Nahari decreed, “is not just your problem, Gideon, but a problem affecting all of us. It’s a problem for Singapore, Israel and, to the same extent, for the United States. You should keep that in mind.”
***
Gideon deposited Dan with a young escort from Nahari’s staff, who drove him to his meetings with the professional experts. Dan was greeted with congratulatory claps on the shoulder by his ex-colleagues, Intelligence Corps veterans who had moved on to specializing in defense against cyber attacks. He described the system he had developed to them, garnering plenty of praise. Dan’s peers presented him with some interesting directions concerning scent-detecting sensors as well as sensors capable of taking pictures through the steel walls of shipping containers.
Dan managed to clear out around lunchtime and had a warm, touching meeting with his father, Dr. Judah “Yudke” Avni. Yudke listened with much interest to his description of the defense system and suggested incorporating an element of multichannel communication. This component, Dan’s father emphasized, had been developed by the New Horizon company in California and was already installed in various systems. It would be no problem to adapt it to Dan’s system, Yudke claimed with persuasive confidence.
***
The conference room at the bureau of the director general of the Ministry of Defense caught Gideon by surprise. He had not expected so many people. Among the attendees, Gideon noticed the bureau’s security officer, the head of the Research and Development Administration, the director of the Defense Aid Branch, and every member of the monitoring committee the director general had appointed to assist with defense activity in Singapore.
“I’m happy to see how much interest the topic I’m here to discuss is generating,” Gideon began, attempting to establish a lighter tone for the meeting.
“It’s true, defending Singapore is important, and pertains to many divisions in our bureau,” the director general replied. “The information we’ve gotten in the last few days is cause for concern, and I suggest we focus on your assessment of the situation there, and what we can do here to help.”
Gideon embarked on the assessment he had prepared, briefly touching upon the major issues. He did not skip over the failures, but he pointed out that there had been more successes than failures and cited the reasons for these successes. He praised the manner in which the Singaporeans were conducting these activities. Gideon focused on the threats of cyber attacks and the fear of increasing Chinese involvement. He mentioned Iran’s intentions of using the lessons learned from the Singapore attacks to initiate extensive activity targeting Israel and the United States.
“General Director, we don’t feel properly dialed in to information on what’s happening in Singapore,” stated the head of the Defense Aid Branch, who had been appointed to head the monitoring committee. “We had to nag our attaché in Singapore to toss some crumbs our way.”
“If I may, General Director,” the security officer intervened, “we’re very concerned with the liberties Dr. Gideon Ben Ari and Dan Avni have taken in exposing technologies that are sensitive from a defense perspective. According to our data, the Americans and the Singaporeans know a lot more than we’d intended to convey as part of our assistance in defending Singapore.”
“I want to bring up another issue,” the manager of the Research and Development Administration chimed in. “The development of the system in Singapore is taking place without coordination with our people. We can assist in the effort to protect Singapore, and we all realize how important it is, but in order to do so, we have to know what’s actually going on there.”
Gideon forced himself to listen patiently to the criticism and complaints, which did not surprise him after many years of working for Israel’s defense agencies. He decided to avoid confrontations with his critics and to focus on receiving support to continue efforts to defend Singapore.
The general director tried to restore calm to the proceedings. “There’s no one here who would question the importance of our relationship with Singapore. We’ve extended significant aid to Singapore in its eff
orts to develop its technological and industrial capabilities and, therefore, there are areas where the industries in Singapore no longer need us. Protecting defense-related secrets is even more important to Singapore than it is to us here in Israel, and therefore there’s no particular danger in occasionally sharing sensitive information with them. However, there are procedures and bureau-specific guidelines that should be observed.” The general director paused to look at Gideon, who understood it was now his turn to offer some words of appeasement.
“I understand and accept these remarks, General Director,” Gideon said. “Your criticism is largely justified. It’s important to me to emphasize that what’s taking place in Singapore right now is, in fact, a war. The task force that Dan and I are a part of is under attack in various areas. We don’t have much assistance, and sometimes six or eight pairs of eyes are all we can rely on in this war. It wasn’t easy to decide on today’s visit, either. Your statement about the importance of Israel’s relationship with Singapore, General Director, is at the heart of this discussion, and I hope all of the bureau’s departments agree to assist us. I’ll do my best to stick to procedures and to update you on any developments.”
The general director concluded the discussion in the spirit of Gideon’s address and asked him to stay behind for a brief private conversation.
“Gideon,” the general director began once they were alone in the room, “I’m not troubled by the complaints of my division heads, and I like what you said in summary. My concern stems from the fact that you and Dan are in the crosshairs of the Iranians acting out of Kuala Lumpur. I’m sure you know that.”
