Ben Zygier

Ben Zygier, also known as Ben Alon, was an Australian citizen who reportedly hanged himself while secretly held in a high security prison in Israel in late 2010. According to Australian broadcaster ABC, Zygier had previously been recruited by Mossad.

Background

Zygier's father, Geoffrey Zygier, was at one time the executive director for B'nai B'rith Anti-Defamation Commission and active in other Australian Jewish organizations. At one time, he was executive director of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria. His mother, Louise Zygier, worked at Melbourne’s Monash University and raised funds for the local Jewish community council.

Early life

Zygier was born in Melbourne on 12 September 1976. He attended Bialik college in the city, "described as a co-educational, Zionist, Jewish day school".

Ben Zygier reportedly joined the Hashomer Hatzair Youth Movement. After completing a law degree, he immigrated to Israel in 1994, moving to Kibbutz Gazit, in the Jezreel Valley.

Zygier reportedly served in the IDF at some point prior to 2001, when he clerked at the Australian law firm, Norton Rose. He later returned to Israel.

In 2003-2004, Zygier worked for Herzog Fox & Neeman, a major Israeli law firm.

Alleged Mossad recruitment

According to Der Spiegel:

As a young man, Zygier got involved with the "Community Security Group" in Melbourne, a kind of Jewish citizens' defense league. These groups often have links to Mossad and are instructed by agents. Ben Zygier was probably recruited in this way. At around the same time, Paul Y. and David Z. were recruited.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Zygier was being screened for a Mossad position during his time at Herzog, Fox & Ne'eman, and was formally accepted by the agency in December 2003.

Subsequent activities

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Zygier began his first mission in 2005, attempting to infiltrate European companies doing business with Syria and Iran.

Zygier reportedly worked for a Milan company specializing in satellite communications technology. Australian intelligence is reported to have said that this company vouched for Zygier when he applied for a work visa at the Italian consulate in Melbourne.

There have been conflicting press reports as to whether this company was witting of Zygier's Mossad role. Der Spiegel reported on 19 February 2013 that the company provided cover to Israeli agents operating in hostile countries.

According to an ABC report of the same date, Zygier himself founded a company, which "exported electronic components to Arab countries as well as Iran."

However, the Sydney Morning Herald reported on 25 March 2013:

One company Zygier had contact with was a hi-tech firm in Milan, Italy. Despite initial information provided to Fairfax Media that this company might be a front company owned and operated by Mossad, subsequent investigations have determined conclusively that this is not the case.

This report also stated that, according to Israeli intelligence, Zygier had contacts in the Balkans and Eastern Europe during this time.

Over several years, Zygier reportedly applied for Australian passports in the names Ben Alon, Ben Allen and Benjamin Burrows.

Zygier was reportedly recalled to Israel in mid-2007 and transferred to Mossad's Tzomet analysis branch.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Zyhier later told Shin Bet that he had attempted to redeem himself by recruiting a Hezbollah agent in Eastern Europe in 2008, but had himself ended up revealing the names of Ziad al-Homsi and Mustafa Ali Awadeh, Mossad's two top informants in Lebanon.

Zygier reportedly returned to Australia in 2009 to do an MBA at Monash University, where he associated with students from Iran and Saudi Arabia. According to the Sydney Morning Herald he had been granted a leave of absence by the Mossad to study at Monash.

ASIO investigation

According to The Age, an ASIO investigation into Zygier and two other men began at least six months before the January 2010 assassination of Hamas commander Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, in which Mossad agents using Australian and European passports are widely suspected of involvement. The three men subject to the ASIO investigation are reportedly separate from those linked to the al-Mabhouh investigation. Speculative commentary on the Zygier case has linked him to the Al-Mabhouh case and to Mossad covert operations against Iran.

Australian journalist Jason Koutsoukis confronted Zygier over allegations that he was working for Mossad in early 2010, after learning that ASIO was investigating three dual Israeli-Australian citizens who had emigrated to Israel, each of whom had returned to Australia on multiple occasions to obtain new passports, using new Anglo-Australian names. Zygier denied any involvement in espionage.

Australia's ABC reported that Zygier told ASIO about every aspect of his work for the Israelis:

The ABC believes Mossad became concerned after it discovered Zygier's contact with the Australian spy agency.

Mossad was worried he might pass on operational methods and secrets of the organisation, including information about the major Mossad operation planned for Italy.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald's version of events, Mossad decided to recall Zygier to Israel in January 2010, independently of the ASIO investigation, because of fears that Hezbollah had learned his identity.

Detention and death

After he was confronted by the Australian media, Zygier was arrested in Israel and held under a false name in Wing 15 of Ayalon Prison.

Dennis Richardson, then head of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and then first assistant secretary Greg Moriarty, were briefed by ASIO of Mr Zygier's arrest on February 24, 2010, but failed to directly inform their then minister, Stephen Smith, or Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, a later departmental investigation found.

Zygier was visited in prison by Israeli lawyer Avigdor Feldman in March 2010.

Zygier reportedly hanged himself in his cell on 15 December 2010.

External resources

• Jason Koutsoukis and Jonathan Pearlman, ASIO in fresh Israel spy probe, 27 February 2010.
• Dimi Rieder, Prisoner X: A false-flag agent?, +972, 13 February 2013.
• Yossi Melman, Exclusive: Australian-Israeli Mossad Man, Few Days before Suicide, Seemed ‘A Nice Guy,’ No Special Stress – Considered a Plea Bargain, Spies Against Armageddon, 13 February 2013.
• Ruth Pollard, Ben Zygier: ASIO suspect who died in Israeli jail, The Age, 14 February 2013.
• 1976 – 2010: The life and death of Ben Zygier, ynetnews.com, 14 February 2013.
• Richard Silverstein, Ben Zygier, Dead Mossad Agent, Arrested for Compromising Covert Iran Operation, Dubai Assassination?, Tikun Olam, 14 February 2013.
• Amir Oren, A liar or a blabbermouth? Ben Zygier was not suited to work for the Mossad, Haaretz, 15 February 2013.
• David Wroe, Zygier in limbo as DFAT in dark, The Age, 16 February 2013.
• Zygier ‘did not commit treason,’ was arrested because he ‘might’ have leaked info, Times of Israel, 17 February 2013.
• Laura Rozen, Did British intelligence also know about Mossad suspect Ben Zygier?, Al-Monitor, 17 February 2013.
• Laura Rozen, The spy and the reporter: Ben Zygier had contacts with journalist before arrest, Al-Monitor, 18 February 2013.
• Ulrike Puz, How the Mossad Works: The Mystery of Israel's 'Prisoner X', SpiegelOnline, 19 February 2013.
• Jason Koutsoukis, How life of spy Ben Zygier unravelled, Sydney Morning Herald, 25 March 2013.
• David Wroe, Israel owes us an explanation on Zygier: Carr, The Age, 26 March 2013
• Spy in Cell 15: The Real Story Behind Israel's 'Prisoner X', SpiegelOnline, 26 March 2013.
• Barak Ravid, Knesset panel on Prisoner X: 'Serious systemic failure' in Mossad's handling, recruitment of Zygier, Haaretz, 9 June 2013.
• Dan Goldberg, 'Prisoner X' leaked Mossad intelligence to Iranian businessman, new book claims, Haaretz, 21 February 2014.