Mossad

[[File:Mossad seal.svg|right|thumb|165px|]]{{conspiracynav}}The '''Mossad''' is the main [[Israel|Israeli]] intelligence agency. Their mission is to gather [[intelligence (government)|intelligence]] and carry out covert actions on behalf of the State of Israel. They are also a [[lightning rod]] for [[conspiracy theories]] since they combine two of their favorite targets, [[Jews]] and the secretive world of intelligence gathering.

Unlike some other nations' intelligence agencies, they've been more willing to "play dirty," especially when it comes to assassinations and spying on their friends. Or that's the standard for intelligence agencies and they've [[Hanlon's Razor|just been sloppy]].

==Things they've done==
*Captured [[Eichmann defense|Adolf Eichmann]] from [[Argentina]]. Both the BND (German intelligence agency) and the CIA (who the BND had informed) knew of his whereabouts before Mossad got to him.<ref>http://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/adolf-eichmann-und-der-bnd-beide-augen-zu-1.1046367</ref> Newer information points to Fritz Bauer, the German attorney general, who would later become instrumental in getting the {{wpl|Frankfurt Auschwitz trials}} going, as having been Mossad's source.<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/07/world/americas/07nazi.html?ex=1307332800&en=a02770c9b542715e&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&_r=0</ref>
*Spied in aligned countries, including the United States.<ref>http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/11/nsa-americans-personal-data-israel-documents</ref><ref>http://www.voanews.com/content/israel-reportedly-spying-on-iranian-nuclear-talks/2692117.html</ref> Before any Americans get upset, please note that the US [[Edward Snowden|''also'' spies extensively on its allies]]... and Israeli intelligence was used to warn the CIA/FBI a month prior to [[9/11]].<ref>Richard A. Serrano and John-Thor Dahlburg (September 20, 2001). [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-sep-20-mn-47840-story.html "Officials Told of ‘Major Assault’ Plans"]. ''Los Angeles Times''.</ref>
*In South Africa, Mossad used the Israeli airline, El Al, as an intelligence asset to spy, an asset it also uses against other nations.<ref>http://www.middleeasteye.net/columns/spy-cables-expose-mossad-south-africa-operations-1605761964</ref><ref>http://www.middleeasteye.net/columns/spy-cables-expose-mossad-south-africa-operations-1605761964</ref> Things are less friendly these days between Israel and South Africa in light of "Israel's extensive military and security cooperation with the apartheid regime ousted in 1994"<ref>http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/02/israel-africa-policies-exercise-cynicism-spy-cables-south-ssa-guardian-lieberman-150225123244796.html</ref> when Mossad brokered dubiously legal, private arms sales to the white-supremacist South Africa.<ref>http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/the_gist/1997/10/mossad.html</ref>
*Retaliated against various [[terrorist]] groups involved in the 1972 attack on their Olympic team. In an incident known as the Lillehammer Affair, an innocent Moroccan man living in [[Norway]] was mistaken for one of the targets and murdered in front of his pregnant wife, leading to most of the assassination team being arrested. Five were convicted; all were deported to Israel within two years. Israel refuses to admit responsibility, though they compensated the widow.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/1996/01/28/world/world-news-briefs-israelis-to-compensate-family-of-slain-waiter.html The New York Times: Israelis to Compensate Family of Slain Waiter] January 28, 1996</ref>
*Various assassinations or attempts on high ranking [[Hamas]] targets.<ref>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/palestinianauthority/9730669/Khaled-Meshaal-How-Mossad-bid-to-assassinate-Hamas-leader-ended-in-fiasco.html</ref> These have also been undertaken by their sister organization, Shin Bet.<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/26/movies/the-gatekeepers-documentary-by-israeli-director-dror-moreh.html</ref>
*Drugged and kidnapped nuclear technician and Israeli nuclear weapons program whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu from Italian soil.<ref>https://books.google.com/books?id=mwwAAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA14&lpg=PA14&dq=kidnap+vanunu+from+Italy&source=bl&ots=JuADLWki9m&sig=0oJxcICNf0spy8oWW-f44GXxleo&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi_78PukKjKAhWKbD4KHXS0AkIQ6AEITjAH#v=onepage&q=kidnap%20vanunu%20from%20Italy&f=false</ref>
*Likely assassinated Canadian-born engineer [[Gerald Bull]], who as part of his quest to economically launch a satellite by cannon developed a series of colossal ultra-long-range artillery pieces. Israel wanted to purchase these from him, but Bull refused and instead accepted an offer from [[Saddam Hussein]]'s government.<ref>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/7254807/Mossads-licence-to-kill.html</ref>
*Killed various [[German]] scientists who were in the [[Egypt]]ian chemical and nuclear weapons program, after recruiting famous former [[SS]] officer {{wpl|Otto Skorzeny}} (yep, the one who freed [[Mussolini]] from his mountain prison after he was overthrown).<ref>http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.711115?v=D1C792888EBD437CAA620933907C9345</ref>
*Supplied [[Ayatollah Khomeini]]’s [[Iran]] in the [[Iran-Iraq War]].<ref name=burke/> At the time, [[Saddam Hussein]] of [[Iraq]] seemed to be a greater existential threat to Israel than Khomeini.
*Assassinated top-level [[Hezbollah]] leadership in [[Lebanon]] in 2024 using cell phones, in which explosive had been secreted.<ref name=burke/> The pager attacks have been labeled by experts at the UN as a probable violation of international law,<ref name="OHCHR">{{cite web | title=Exploding pagers and radios: A terrifying violation of international law, say UN experts | website=OHCHR | date=2024-09-19 | url=https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/09/exploding-pagers-and-radios-terrifying-violation-international-law-say-un | ref={{sfnref|OHCHR|2024}} | access-date=2025-06-16}}</ref> since by exploding thousands of pagers simultaneously it failed to distinguish between civilians and combatants.<ref name="OHCHR"/> Two children were among the civilian fatalities.<ref>{{cite web | last=George | first=Susannah | last2=Haidamous | first2=Suzan | title=Toll of Lebanon device attacks reveals Hezbollah’s ‘society in arms’ | website=The Washington Post | date=2024-09-19 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/09/19/israel-lebanon-pagers-attack-victims/ | access-date=2025-06-16}}</ref>
*Recruited dissident Iranians within Iran to target sites within Iran in 2025 using drones and smuggled precision weapons.<ref name=burke>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/14/drone-op-claims-show-israel-mossad-leaning-in-to-its-legend Out of the shadows: drone-op claims show Israel’s Mossad leaning in to its legend] by Jason Burke (14 Jun 2025 01.00 EDT) ''The Guardian''.</ref>
*Also some major screw-ups.<ref name=burke/>

==Things they didn't do==
*[[John F. Kennedy assassination conspiracy theory|The Kennedy assassinations.]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20030408023910/http://www.john-f-kennedy.net/MossadAndTheAssassination.htm "Mossad And The JFK Assassination"]</ref>
*The [[9/11 conspiracy theories|September 11, 2001]] attacks.<ref>[[Above Top Secret]]: [https://web.archive.org/web/20040704045304/http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread4236/pg1 "Mossad and 9/11"] January 21, 2003</ref>
*Use an array of animals to spy on other nations (see {{wpl|Israel-related animal conspiracy theories||)}}
* [https://m.jpost.com/not-just-news/israeli-footwear-conspiracy-uk-activist-accuses-mossad-of-stealing-shoe-405967 Steal an anti-Israel activist's shoe]
*Nearly every other major world event. That's more [[CIA]] territory, but even the CIA doesn't have that much power.

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Conspiracy theories]]
[[Category:Conspiracy theorist scapegoats]]
[[Category:Government surveillance]]
[[Category:Israel]]
[[Category:Israeli politics]]

Categories: Conspiracy theories, Conspiracy theorist scapegoats, Government surveillance, Israel, Israeli politics