The mainstream media for the most part has moved on. But there are a few more gleanings to be had, of perhaps the most interesting comes from the Daily Mirror, which labels al-Hilli an extremist on the grounds that he was against the war in Iraq, disapproved of the behaviour of Israel and had doubts over 9/11 – which makes a great deal of the population “extremist”. But the Mirror has the only mainstream mention I can find of the possibility that Mossad carried out the killings. Given Mr al-Hilli’s profession, the fact he is a Shia, the fact he had visited Iran, and the fact that Israel heas been assassinating scientists connected to Iran’s nuclear programme, this has to be a possibility. There are of course other possibilities, but to ignore that one is ludicrous.
Which leads me to the argument of Daily Mail crime reporter, Stephen Wright, that the French police should concentrate on the idea that this was a killing by a random Alpine madman or racist bigot. Perfectly possible, of course, and the anti-Muslim killings in Marseille might be as much a precedent as Mossad killings of scientists. But why the lone madman idea should be the preferred investigation, Mr Wright does not explain. What I did find interesting from a man who has visited many crime scenes are his repeated insinuations that the French authorities are not really trying very hard to find who the killers were, for example:
the crime scene would have been sealed off for a minimum of seven to ten days, to allow detailed forensic searches for DNA, fibres, tyre marks and shoe prints to take place.
Nearby bushes and vegetation would have been searched for any discarded food and cigarette butts left by the killer, not to mention the murder weapon.
But from what I saw at the end of last week, no such searches had taken place and potentially vital evidence could have been missed. House to house inquiries in the local area had yet to be completed and police had not made specific public appeals for information about the crime. No reward had been put up for information about the shootings.
Behind the scenes, what other short cuts have been taken? Have police seized data identifying all mobile phones being used in the vicinity of the murders that day?
The idea that the French authorities – who are quite as capable as any other of solving cases – are not really trying very hard is an interesting one.
Which leads me to this part of a remarkable article from the Daily Telegraph, which if true points us back towards a hit squad and discounts the ides that there was only one gun:
Claims that only one gun was used to kill everybody is likely to be disproved by full ballistics test results which are out in October.
While the 25 spent bullet cartridges found at the scene are all of the same kind, they could in fact have come from a number of weapons of the same make.
This throws up the possibility of a well-equipped, highly-trained gang circling the car and then opening fire.
Both children were left alive by the killers, who had clinically pumped bullets into everybody else, including five into Mr Mollier.
Zainab was found staggering around outside the car by Brett Martin, a British former RAF serviceman who cycled by moments after the attack, but he saw nobody except the schoolgirl.
Her sister, Zeena, was found unscathed and hiding in the car eight hours later.
Both sisters are now back in Britain, and are believed to have been reunited at a secret location near London.
There are of course a number of hit squad options, both governmental and private, which might well involve iraqi or Iranian interests – on both of which the mainstream media have been very happy to speculate while almost unanimously ignoring Israel.
But what interests me is why the Daily Telegraph choose, in the face of all the evidence, to minimise the horrific nature of the attack by stating that “Both children were left alive by the killers”? Zainab was not left alive by design, she was shot in the chest and her skull was stove in, which presumably was a pretty serious attempt to kill a seven year-old child. The other girl might very well have succeeded in hiding from the killers under her mother’s skirts, as she hid from the first rescuers, and then for eight hours from the police.
The Telegraph article claims to be informed by sources close to the investigation. So they believe it was a group of people, and feel motivated to absolve those people from child-killing. Now what could the Daily Telegraph be thinking?
So Ben Zygier wasn’t the only Mossad employee who came to a sticky end in 2010.
“Another clue may have pointed to the importance of the signals trail. Last summer, as the spies were being rounded up, a senior man in Unit 8200, the section of Israeli military intelligence tasked with eavesdropping on Israel’s enemies, shot himself in his office. Colleagues blamed “unrequited love”.” http://www.economist.com/node/15581338
“Thoughtful Israeli critics of Mossad, of its swashbuckling director and of Mr Netanyahu, say the intelligence service has two other defects that should be tackled: arrogance and complacency. A pernicious “superiority complex”, says a former intelligence man, has taken root in both Mossad and Shin Bet, the internal security service also known by its Hebrew acronym, Shabak. The apparent success with which they have monitored and infiltrated Palestinians in the West Bank has created an attitude of condescension that inhibits peacemaking.” http://www.economist.com/node/15581314
Was Chevaline an example of Mossad “arrogance and complacency”?
Bluebird – did you ask for this….? may be boring….. Not partic relevant to SAH!
Sanad Of Ayatullah Sistani = the deed of citation given to ayatollah Sistani by Al Khoei (in his own handwriting) teacher to teacher goes back to Abi Abdillah the 12th or Hidden Imam. In the middle of this long list are two names *Ayatullah Hasan bin Mutahar – al-Allamah Hilli (1250-1325), in Hillah and in Persia, one of the greatest Muslim jurists of his time and *Shaykh Abi Qasim Jafar bin Hasan bin Said al-Hilli – the perfect Muhaqiq Hilli, uncle of Allamah, also lived in Hillah, theologian and legal writer – the authority on Shia law used in British India. (source – wiki)
introducingislam.org gives Abu Abdillah, last name on the list, as the kunniyat (patronym – abu + name of son) for the 3rd 6th 9th and 12th Imam who is also called Abu Qasim – remember “He is the last Imam and he is alive and is hidden”. Al-islam.org differs at the 9th, while wiki/Twelver omits Abdillah at the both 9th and 12th. Presume abi = abu. Whichever Abi Abdillah is meant, Sistani’s credentials go right back to the start of Shia trafition – the Twelve Imams.
The diagram shows at the apex Yusuf ibn Ahmed al-Bahrani (1695–1772) a Bahraini theologian and key figure in the development of Twelver Shia Islam. Al-Bahrini was a Bahraini scholar who moved to Karbala and aged 72yr wrote this Ijazah for his nephews ” Lulu’at al Bahraini”, “the Pearl of Bahrain” entrusting his wisdom to them. Ijaza means authentic certificate of a teacher. At the base of the plan are two names. Ibn Babuya (~920-991) born Qom – one of the most important Twelver Shi’ite jurists, hadith compilers, and theologians of the tenth-century, and Kulanyi – the foremost Shia compiler of hadith following the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt (864 – 961) In the centre of the diagram is surprise surprise al Alamah al Hilli (1250 – 1325) the sage from Hilla, well known Shia theologian of his time, who wrote 100 books. (source – wiki)
A comment on Mohamed al Hilli of London, internationally renowned speaker, “born Kadhimiyya (Baghdad, Iraq) in 1978. His great grandfather, Sheikh Mohammad Rida, was a known Scholar and reciter in Hilla, Iraq”. http://imm.gwdesigner.com/community/speakers-biography/sheikh-mohammed-al-hilli/
But there appears also to be Shaykh Muhammad Rida al-Muzaffar whose family are from Najaf and Basra, born 1904, brought up in Najaf by his two brothers as his “illustrious” father died 5 months before his birth. In 1937 he founded a College, Kulliyah al-Fiqh’ in Najaf and in 1958 a government approved College of Education. http://introducingislam.org/info/muzaffar/chapter7.php
Mohammad Rida, the one from Hilla, doesn’t appear to be mentioned by Haitham al Hilli in his genealogy so may be from another branch of the al Hillis.
Not that it matters much. SAH comes from a clan with many Shia theologians as well as doctors, engineers, writers etc. Loyalty would probably count for a lot but how much had Western secularism entered his soul? Maybe in his studies of the Koran he was looking for a Moderate Islam. Still no nearer to knowing what made him tick, what motives and aims he had as he travelled urgently to Chevaline.
Olifant
I did quote the al Sistani genealogy because as a matter of fact this is a genealogy of teachers. It is not a physical genealogy. It came to my attention that Ayatollahs are proud of their scholars and that they mention them in theor names although that they have nothing todo with their genetic family.
This “tree” is the tree of scholars. “The one who was the teacher of the next one who was the teacher of the next one, etc.”
They are proud of that their teacher was a scholar in the direct line back to the prophet. That seems to be more of importance for Ayatollahs than their family descent.
The al Sistani line of scholars includes two famous members of the al Hilli family. However, there is no genetic relation.
On the other hand, we must be careful when looking at al Hilli’s Ayatollah names because those names seem to include scholars, too.
Every name connected with”al” in their long line of names aren’t their father and grandfather but their famous teachers.
E.g. al Khatib or al Din or al Asterbani are part of the name but they are teachers but they are not grandfather or grand grandfather.
Yes, i read the online biography of London based al Khoei mosque Sheykh Mohammad al Hilli that his great grandfather was Mohammad Rida al Hilli. That makes sense in the genetic line to Ayatollah Husain al Hilli and the place of birth being Najaf for Hashim al Hilli.
I have a problem with “Muslim” al Hilli in your text. I believe that this is in fact Hashim al Hilli and a translation error. Hashim was born 1916 in Najaf.
Olifant
When we are looking at the family clan, we must understand that Shias can have four wives plus additional “mutah” wives (temporary marriage). Mutah wives were usually slave girls or female POWs.
Many mutah wives did bear children. The richer and the more powerful Shia men were, the more likely they had more wives plus mutah wives.
When looking at the genealogy of rich Shia families we have to understand that brothers could have different mothers although they were brothers. That is and was not unusual.
Therefore it is not impossible when one brother was born in e.g. 1916 that the other brother was born in e.g. 1945 and a third brother in e.g. 1971. This would be physically impossible for the same mother but it is possible for the same father to have sons (with different wives) over a period of e.g. 60 years.
THE BRITISH ISLAMIC CENTER DEPARTMENT OF COMPARATIVE DIVINITY
THE MEETING OF COMPARATIVE DIVINITY
THE ISLAMIC INTELLECTUAL MEETING
(20)May, 21, 2002
The Islamic-Christian-Jewish Studies
THE INTERPOSITIONS ON THE STUDY AND THE COMMENTS OF SAYYID AL-BADRI
By Dr. Hazim al-Hilli
http://www.albadri.info/adyan/index.php?id_file=mj-eng04.htm
And there he is another founder of al Fiqh college of Najaf (just like Muhammad Rida was a founder of al Fiqh college).
http://www.alnajaf2012.com/en/feed/permalink/3053.txt
Missed to quote the link above.
Ali.alhilli.3
That is Quantas manager Ali al Hilli’s fb account.
Check his friends list.
He is Saad’s cousin.
IMHO the clan connection is as far as you can go. The interpretation and translation is dodgy and names can be in different spellings, formats and lengths. Overall SAH does not seem closely connected with top ayatollahs, although he has some way back in his heritage. Decoding the family relationships with Australia, Holland, Canada etc isn’t easy as there are probably quite a few branches of al-Hilli some of which emigrated. Nevertheless they probably all know the conections inside out and backwards and in that sense are all uncles / cousins. So tracking this down further wouldn’t help us any more than is known by virtue of the tag al-Hilli. Is this too restrictive?
So back to *Musallam al Hilli, 1916 – 1972, born Hilla, probably another non member of the >Kawar group, Al-Husseini Al-Hilli As far as I can ascertain from the Internet, Mussulman is a Turkish variant of Western Moslem
> ——————————-
That’s an easy one, Gordon. I’m not an expert but do have many Moslem friends – some of them, scholars and linguists.
”Mussulman” is pronounced — Moo (short oo) – sul – mahn. Moslem-Muslim are derived from Moo-sul-mee-n. Follower/s of Islam.
The base word is Arabic but used also in Urdu, Persian,Turkish, etc. The Arabic word is ‘musallam’, (pronounced moo-sul-lum, an djective) and means i) accepted, endorsed by everyone, ii)something that’s proved, tested, established, and iii)complete, total, perfect, flawless, etc. So, a Musallam-ahn is one who is a proven devotee of Islam, one who is totally honest in his dedication to God.
additional…
another non member of the >Kawar group, Al-Husseini Al-Hilli branch As far as I can ascertain from the Internet, Mussulman is a Turkish variant
of Western Moslem
trying leaving out the blog email details To: and From: which don’t come through, not important anyway
but just a few words were sliced
another non member of the Kawar group, Al-Husseini Al-Hilli branch. There are inconclusive references in the article to two jurists in Hilla called Muslim al-Hilli and Haidi al-Hilli, prob unconnected. He was a teacher in Iraq. His web biography lists 4 children. One of these is a Dr in Belgium who is interviewed at http://alalemya.com/iih/0_2011_5_/11_/11_5_1/5_1/eye_mohamed_husseini.html
Looking again at the Haitham al Hussein al Hilli genealogy article:- its about the “Kawar branch of Qasim Isa Al Azzam significant” (the big) and in particular the “Gentleman Al Hilli Husseini” who are defined by heredity and geography as “The village gentlemen, home clan Husseiniya Alzbhawih, not confined by the name of “Alamaria” Hilla, but is the area adjacent to the village, south of Hilla”. So this is a particular family line and not all those with the al-Hilli name are part of it. *to denote this
There was *Ayatollah Shaikh Hussein al Hilli, the famous teacher, 1894 – 1975, in Najaf alongside Ayatollah al-Khoei, and whose pupils include the current Ayatollah al Sistani. Probably not part of SAH’s wider family.
Shaikh Hussein al Hilli called “Hussein Najafi”, 1883 – 1955, Sheikh abdul hussein ornaments belongs to a large family in Hilla known as the Hillel and was born in Hilla, Iraq in 1883 and lived there until 13 years, to move to Najaf. His poetry has won several awards, one on the BBC channel, a poem longing for home and brothers. After retirement he engaged the public in cadis, leading to problems with those close to him, and who have the opportunity to migrate to Bahrain to work as a judge in the courts of law in former banner in the history of Bahrain, after the British Chancellor, Charles Bigariv, asked for help with Ja’fari courts having varied views of the Shiite scholars at that time about the method of selecting judges and procedures to be followed in the Court. He died in 1955, and a Memorial in Bahrain was built for him. He may or may not be the son of Mohamed al Hilli the man at the apex of Haitham al Hilli’s family tree.
Another look at *Rida al Hilli etc. He is not *Muhammad Rida al-Muzaffar (family from Najaf and Basra), who was mentioned a day or two ago; an instigator of colleges in Najaf. Muzaffar was a moderniser. (re al Muzarraf see http://www.academia.edu/1740272/Shia_Studies_No._1_April-June_2011_pp._17-19)
He was assisted by one of the Husseini al-Hillis – Al-Faqih Al-Adib Mohammed Al-Hilli, grandson of the head of the family Mohamed al-Hilli, who was a publisher of poetry, and one of the co-founders of the “community of scholars” in Najaf with Mohamed Rida Al-Muzarraf.
*Rida al-Hilli of Hilla, a reciter and theologian in Hilla, and of one generation earlier than Muzarraf, is Gt grandfather of the present London teacher, conference speaker and qualified pharmacist *Mohamed al-Hilli. Was Rida al-Hilli a son of Mohamed al-Hilli from Hillah? – he wasn’t mentioned in that article.
What the “French MI6” don’t want you to know:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/07/french-secret-service-wikipedia-page
“The Wikipedia entry concerned a military radio relay station at Pierre-sur Haute, between the Rhône-Alpes and the Auvergne, 70 miles west of Lyon.
The page was launched after the broadcast of a French television programme about the station, which is under the control of the French air force and is thought to be part of France’s nuclear detection and deterrent network. The programme included an interview with an air force major based at the station.”
Annecy mentioned here:
http://www.hertzien.fr/tours_et_pylones.htm
Under the heading “Protection”, you’ll find some things mentioned long ago on this thread:
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Station_hertzienne_militaire_de_Pierre-sur-Haute
These include electromagnetic pulses and Faraday cages. The timing of the DCRI’s actions is intriguing.
I believe I mentioned this Dordogne facility long ago in the threads:
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renseignement_d'origine_%C3%A9lectromagn%C3%A9tique_en_France
I had been curious about Saad al-Hilli’s connection to the Dordogne.
Q
7 Apr, 2013 – 10:33 pm It is this that makes a nonsense of Maillaud’s claim “that they had no leads”. The French (and probably the British) have access to all the telecommunications of the Al Hilli’s whilst in France and of their killers, unless in the unlikely event the latter kept complete radio/telephone silence. It was the obvious lie about the first call that got me involved in this thing. Despite all the debate in here, the central issue of that lie has never, as far as I am aware been challenged or aired in the national press. Nor have the French authorities issued a copy or transcript of that initial call. Nor have they explained the process by which the rescue service “picked up the news on their radio” and were first on the scene. To claim they have no idea, and blame both UK and America when they must have all the conversations and contact numbers, can only be interpreted, as far as I can see, as disingenuous or malign.
It is a mistake in any murder investigation to become fixated on one theory to the absence of all others. Keeping an open mind is an asset. It should not however stand in the way of forming possible scenarios or likely perpetrators. I think we have got to the position where despite the many limitations and disadvantages compared to the official teams, we can stand back and make certain assertions and come to conclusions as to the most likely explanation for what happened and where the finger of accusation should point.
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2013/04/07/world/asia/origins-of-cias-not-so-secret-drone-war-in-pakistan.xml
Probably not directly related but good to know.
CIA acts as a “killer on demand” at other governments’ requests with its drones.
The role of the “French MI6” in the Chevaline assassinations must be considered. So far, they have managed to stay behind the curtains. The question must be asked: were they mere observers or active participants in this affair? Alternate scenarios involving the possibility of risk to France’s national security in the exchange at the Combe D’Ire have already been discussed in these threads.
The facility at Pierre-sur-Haute was connected to OTAN (NATO).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_radio_station_of_Pierre-sur-Haute
“The Pierre-sur-Haute station is controlled by the French Air Force and is a subsidiary of the Lyon – Mont Verdun Air Base, 80 km from the station. It is one of the four radio stations along France’s north-south axis, in constant communication with the three others: Lacaune, Henrichemont and the Rochefort air base. The station is mainly used for transmissions relating to the command of operational units. If French nuclear weapons (Force de Frappe) were used, the fire order may pass through this relay.
The station was part of the Commandement Air des Systèmes de Surveillance d’Information et de Communications (Air Command of Surveillance, Information and Communication Systems) since its creation on 1 June 1994, then, from 1 January 2006, of the Direction Interarmées des Réseaux d’Infrastructure et des Systèmes d’Information (Joint Direction of Infrastructure Networks and Information Systems).”
Maybe it’s the “Streisand effect” kicking in. How could the DCRI not have been involved in this affair? Surely the telephone calls and any internet communications between Saad al-Hilli and his contacts were monitored during his last trip to France; action may have been taken within France’s national security agencies based on those communications. Recent discussion has shown the extent of the al-Hilli clan’s various branches and political connections. Saad al-Hilli’s technical expertise and possible cover stories (Leonardo) have also been discussed extensively in these threads. He is precisely the kind of person the DCRI might observe and monitor.
Pierre-sur-Haute station is part of France’s nuclear weapons relay.
I am reminded of another “ire”, this one the “Dies Irae” from Verdi’s Requiem:
http://www.franciscan-archive.org/de_celano/opera/diesirae.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Requiem_%28Verdi%29
@ bluebird 8 Apr, 2013 – 11:41 am
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2013/04/07/world/asia/origins-of-cias-not-so-secret-drone-war-in-pakistan.xml
“Probably not directly related but good to know. CIA acts as a “killer on demand” at other governments’ requests with its drones.”
In some circumstance other services would likely reciprocate, or take a subcontract for cash. Do each other’s dirty work as a favour. Easier access for them. No need for trained spies with disguises and proper accents. That fun biz is almost obsoleted by drones.
Q 8 Apr, 2013 – 4:19 pm
“The role of the “French MI6″ in the Chevaline assassinations must be considered. How could the DCRI not have been involved in this affair? Surely the telephone calls and any internet communications between Saad al-Hilli and his contacts were monitored during his last trip to France… He is precisely the kind of person the DCRI might observe and monitor.”
No doubt they did monitor him, as would GCHQ, possibly US NSA, Israel, China, Russia. Problem is, the agencies are reluctant to reveal what they know, even in a spectacular murder. It could reveal them violating their own country’s laws, and give enemy agencies clues as to their techniques, abilities and geographic coverage.
If they gave info to police in one case, they’d be besieged by endless requests and subpoenas by prosecutors and defense attorneys and even find themselves entangled in mundane civil lawsuits.
NR
8 Apr, 2013 – 10:02 pm are you bidding for a SIS contract?
@ Tim V 8 Apr, 2013 – 11:43 pm
“NR 8 Apr, 2013 – 10:02 pm are you bidding for a SIS contract?”
Great idea. I can undercut the competition. Don’t even need a motorbike to slap magnetic things on target vehicles; can do that off a skateboard.
Early on in this crime story, Mossad was identified by bloggers and newspapers and to some extent has been discussed here. In general, the possibility has never been seriously pursued by the media. If I have got it wrong, no doubt someone will put me right. The thing is we operate with one hand tied behind our back with a blindfold around our eyes. We have had to rely on what the French spokesmen have given out and what representatives of the press have either communicated from official and other sources and critically from photographs and video taken with or without official permission. A big problem is from the first the official and other statements have included critical contradictions and obvious misrepresentations. Much high grade intelligence has been with-held. Yet they claim they no nothing. The bottom line is that the investigators, at least the image they have projected, cannot be trusted. So that in addition to the difficulties listed above, even official statements have to be treated with caution.
Clever work by people on here has blown a hole through official statements and denials. The very fact that the investigators have changed their story so many times and promoted theories that either don’t make sense or are quite improbable has not only undermined their credibility but much more worryingly suggest that they may themselves be involved in a conspiracy to permit the murders and to facilitate the escape of the perpetrators. How else can a statement only weeks into the investigation by the Prosecutor that the “crime might never be solved”? The reactions of British and French governments and the nature of the crime indicated from the first that this was not a typical or conventional incident and that state orchestrated assassination was on the cards, yet not only has this never been admitted, it has not even been officially been alluded to. This of itself is pretty convincing evidence of the reality of the proposition confirmed by subsequent revelations on here, that still have not found their way to the public media, of the family’s high status and history. Recent armed response by the British authorities confirm not only that the Hilli’s are considered important assets still at risk, but also that Chevaline was significant blunder that will not be allowed to happen again, even if it involves a shoot-out.
Once we get to the position that this was a military style killing which was the suggested observation initially, later inexplicably rejected, effectively only three options present themselves: criminal syndicates; religious extremists or state agencies or combinations of all them. It is an accepted fact that the CIA worked closely historically with the Mafia from WWII onwards both at home and abroad. The recent funeral of a Tel Aviv high level criminal was apparently well attended by police. I doubt the assertion that SI agencies use criminal sources and assets when it suits is likely to be challenged. We have seen from the discussion here, that the hotbed of the Middle East has certainly demonstrated the potential for brutality and violence including thousands of specific assassinations with bullets and bombs. Who is actually behind them has never been forensically described. Indeed virtually no organisations or individuals have ever been brought to justice despite the huge toll of not only combatants but also academics and innocents part of the desired effect being to drive people out and destabilize the country. We must assume there were numerous elements behind this, including secret agencies of foreign powers, Sadrists, disaffected Baathists, so called Al Qaeda elements, paid mercenaries, security firms and elements of occupying powers, any of which might arguably have been the assassins at Chevaline.
NR
9 Apr, 2013 – 12:08 am LOL. Your explanation for them not giving out details might be right but in this case, unless it is to help or cover up the crime, I doubt it provides an explanation. I think we can be fairly confident both French and British know exactly what was said on the phones and computers an d who did the deed but just arn’t saying because it would cause a hell of an international row.
Earlier I did a list of involved nations and their reactions to the incident (if any). We saw in the the Zygier case that a national of another country can die in suspicious circumstances whilst incarcerated secretly, and nations can contrive to keep it so. We have such a case here. Britain, France and to a lesser extent Switzerland, Germany and Sweden have contrived to keep incriminating information out of the public domain however there are tell tale signs Britain is not happy. France has actively dissembled, Britain has remained tight lipped which is all we have to go on. Although Baathists and Sadrists may have had conceivable motive, I do not think they are goers. I do not believe France would have allowed them to operate on their territory, and if they had would have been far more open and accusative. I also seriously doubt they would have been able to escape unless actively assisted by French authorities. I believe the same reasoning would apply had the assassins been from Serbia, Balkan States or Russia. I think we can discount South America and the Far East for different reasons as we can Britain and other EU countries. Having gone through this process of elimination the finger does indeed point to two possibilities, both with clear track records in this field of operation, SS and military links, with the necessary “skills” and technological support and necessary motive. They are of course Israel and the US neither of which as far as I am aware have been pointedly asked if they were involved. I suppose it would be considered very bad form to do so! It is clear from the excerpt that I posted earlier that France and Israel two months following the massacre at Chevaline, at Presidential level, very publicly restated their good terms. Would that have been done if Mossad had carried out an operation on French soil without at least its tacit approval and assistance?