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Afghanistan
Jordanian double-agent killed CIA officers
2010-01-04
The suicide bombing on a CIA base in Afghanistan last week was carried out by a Jordanian doctor who was an al-Qaida double agent, Western intelligence officials told NBC News. Initial reports said that the attack, which killed seven CIA officers, was carried out by a member of the Afghan National Army.

According to Western intelligence officials, the perpetrator was Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, 36, an al-Qaida sympathizer from the town of Zarqa, which is also the hometown of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the Jordanian militant Islamist responsible for several devastating attacks in Iraq.

Al-Balawi was arrested by Jordanian intelligence more than a year ago. However, the Jordanians believed that al-Balawi had been successfully reformed and brought over to the American and Jordanian side, setting him up as an agent and sending him off to Afghanistan and Pakistan to infiltrate al-Qaida.
More at the link.
Posted by:Besoeker

#9   So apparently the hit was planned, so as to assemble as many CIA officers in the closest proximity to the killer. This necessitated the repeated leaking of useful information to build up a false sense of security on the US agents' part.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418   2010-01-04 21:40  

#8  PAKISTANI DEFENCE FORUMS > CIA ATTACKER WAS DRIVEN IN FROM PAKISTAN, SUICIDE BOMBER WAS A REGULAR CIA INFORMANT [high-value?] WHOM HAD BEEN ON [FOB Chapman, Khost]BASE MANY TIMES. CIA Casualties were US, Allied core Cadres responsible for covert intelligence gathering + paramilitary operations agz Al Qaeda + Taliban.

* SAME > SUICIDE BOMBING IN AFGHANISTAN DEVASTATES CRITICAL HUB FOR CIA ACTVITIES.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2010-01-04 19:46  

#7  While many of the reformations and strange-bedfellow alliances fail, many work, the turning of the Sunni Awakening insurgents being a major success story. Some of the double agents work reliably for us giving the intelligence leading to successful Predator hits. The problem isn't continuing to make such attempts. The problem is not taking obvious precautions. If the fragmentary reports are true (the disaster being undeniable makes it appear true), remarkably poor tradecraft was exercised. How could al-Balawi not have been searched, especially given the method of assassinating Massoud? Why were so many officers interviewing him at once? Wanting to get credit for being in on a big case is human, but unprofessional. It's proper procedure to only expose the identities of a couple officers to an agent, let alone the risk of what transpired.
Posted by: Odysseus   2010-01-04 19:22  

#6  It's hard to reconcile different accounts.
The man, a captain in the Jordanian intelligence service, was given full military honors at a ceremony that referred only to his "humanitarian work" in war-torn Afghanistan.
Posted by: tipper   2010-01-04 14:57  

#5  Just cause it LOOKS like a Hollywood movie doesn't mean it is. People die.
Posted by: tipover   2010-01-04 14:39  

#4  It's a big hit to us, that's for sure. It's also a reminder that spy v spy is a dirty, dangerous business, and while you'd like to win them all, sometimes you lose one and it hurts like hell.
Posted by: Steve White   2010-01-04 14:28  

#3  Jordanian Case Officer also killed:

King, Queen receive body of Sharif Ali Bin Zeid

Amman, Jan 2 (Petra) -- His Majesty King Abdullah II, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah were at the Queen Alia International Airport on Saturday to receive the body of Captain Sharif Ali bin Zeid Al Aun who was killed in Afghanistan on Wednesday.

Sharif Ali fell as he performed his humanitarian duty with the Jordanian contingent of the U.

N peacekeeping forces in Afghanistan.

His body was flown home today on board a Royal Air Force plane.

Their Majesties and the Crown Prince expressed their heart-felt condolences to the martyr's family.

The King and the Crown Prince led a funeral held with full military honours as an armed forces band played sombre tunes and the casket, draped in the Jordanian flag, was carried by soldiers to the Royal Cemetery where it was laid to rest.

The King and the mourners recited verses from the holy Quran.

Also taking part in the funeral were other Royal Family members, the Prime Minister, the Royal Court Chief, the King's adviser for tribal affairs, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the directors of intelligence, public security, civil defense and gendarmerie as well as other senior officials.

His Majesty, Crown Prince Hussein and the other Royal Family members accepted condolences from the crowd of mourners.


Posted by: Besoeker   2010-01-04 14:23  

#2  This is scary, with these top agents all blown up in the same room, I fear the experience, contacts, and inside information may be lost

RIP. Thanks for your bravery and sacrifice!
Posted by: Phith Dingle6292   2010-01-04 14:23  

#1  the Jordanians believed that al-Balawi had been successfully reformed and brought over to the American and Jordanian side,

Do such reformations really work? It doesn't seem so.
Posted by: JohnQC   2010-01-04 14:14  

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