WASHINGTON // The man dispatched by Al Qaeda to blow up a US-bound passenger airliner with a bomb feared to be undetectable was a Saudi double agent.
Foiling the plot was a Saudi-run operation, with the agent identified and recruited by the Saudi interior ministry's counter-intelligence agency using extensive tribal and family ties in Yemen.
In what a former CIA counter-terrorism agent described last night as a stunning coup for Saudi intelligence, their agent delivered three knock-out blows to Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.
Firstly, he prevented the attack. Secondly, he delivered the explosive device to analysts intact, providing crucial new insight into AQAP's latest bomb-making technology. And thirdly, he identified the leaders of the AQAP cell who planned the bombing.
The result was a US drone strike in Yemen on Sunday that killed Fahd Mohammed Al Quso, believed to be the cell leader and also wanted for the bombing of USS Cole in Yemen in 2000.
The Saudi double agent is understood to have escaped to safety in Saudi Arabia via the UAE, and his close relatives are also believed to have been brought out.
Overall, it is a "stunning" success, a former CIA counter-terrorism agent with operational experience in the Middle East told The National yesterday.
"I've never heard of such a coup. This is as big as it comes in the post-September 11 hyped-up environment in which [intelligence agencies] operate today. It doesn't get any better."
It is a particular coup for Saudi intelligence, he said, as such "intelligence diplomacy" links Saudi Arabia and the US "even more tightly at the hip", and constricts any possible criticism in Washington of domestic Saudi human-rights issues.
It also sends the message to other countries that "if we collaborate in the war on terror, the US will turn its attention away from our internal affairs", a card Israel plays "most brilliantly" in deflecting US attention from its behaviour in the occupied territories, the former agent said.
The operation was not only a collaboration between Saudi and US intelligence, however. It also involved the highest levels of the Yemeni government, according to a government official in Sanaa.
The official told The National that Abdrabu Mansur Hadi, the Yemeni president, was told about the plot but that Yemen's two intelligence agencies were kept in the dark out of concerns that the information might find its way to Al Qaeda.
"[Saudi and US intelligence] were concerned about the disclosure of the information on this thwarted plot because the attacks of Al Qaeda on the army in the south - slaughtering soldiers on a mass scale - demonstrate that the terrorist organisation either has eyes in the army or is finding facilitation from army officers," the official said.
US officials say the bomb is probably the work of Ibrahim Hassan Al Asiri, who they accuse of building the original underwear bomb, which failed to detonate aboard a plane over Detroit in 2009.
He is also suspected of being the bomb-maker behind the failed plot to detonate explosives hidden in toner cartridges in printers on a plane to Chicago that was intercepted in Dubai in 2010.
Analysts believe the latest bomb was more sophisticated, built without any metal components and designed to pass undetected through airport scanners.
The Central Intelligence Agency was kept in the loop throughout the Saudi double-agent operation, but there is anger in the US that the plot was leaked from the CIA last week, becoming public knowledge on Monday.
The leak might discourage foreign intelligence services from co-operating with the US on risky missions in the future, said Peter King, a Republican congressman and chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee.
"We are talking about compromising methods and sources and causing our partners to be wary about working with us," said Mr King, who called the bomb plot "one of the most tightly held operations I've seen in my years in the House".
US officials planned to investigate the source of the leak.
In any case, the story will work well for Barack Obama, the US president, in an election year, the former CIA agent suggested. The Obama campaign has already made the killing of Osama bin Laden a prominent plank of the US president's re-election bid.
The latest operation will only bolster Mr Obama's "tough guy" image, the agent said.
okarmi@thenational.ae
* With additional reporting by Mohammed Al Qadhi in Sanaa
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
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- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
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- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
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PRO BASH
Thursday’s fixtures
6pm: Hyderabad Nawabs v Pakhtoon Warriors
10pm: Lahore Sikandars v Pakhtoon Blasters
Teams
Chennai Knights, Lahore Sikandars, Pakhtoon Blasters, Abu Dhabi Stars, Abu Dhabi Dragons, Pakhtoon Warriors and Hyderabad Nawabs.
Squad rules
All teams consist of 15-player squads that include those contracted in the diamond (3), platinum (2) and gold (2) categories, plus eight free to sign team members.
Tournament rules
The matches are of 25 over-a-side with an 8-over power play in which only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle. Teams play in a single round robin league followed by the semi-finals and final. The league toppers will feature in the semi-final eliminator.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
FIGHT CARD
Bantamweight Hamza Bougamza (MAR) v Jalal Al Daaja (JOR)
Catchweight 67kg Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR) v Fouad Mesdari (ALG)
Lighweight Abdullah Mohammed Ali (UAE) v Abdelhak Amhidra (MAR)
Catchweight 73kg Mostafa Ibrahim Radi (PAL) v Yazid Chouchane (ALG)
Middleweight Yousri Belgaroui (TUN) v Badreddine Diani (MAR)
Catchweight 78kg Rashed Dawood (UAE) v Adnan Bushashy (ALG)
Middleweight Sallaheddine Dekhissi (MAR) v Abdel Emam (EGY)
Catchweight 65kg Rachid Hazoume (MAR) v Yanis Ghemmouri (ALG)
Lighweight Mohammed Yahya (UAE) v Azouz Anwar (EGY)
Catchweight 79kg Omar Hussein (PAL) v Souhil Tahiri (ALG)
Middleweight Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Laid Zerhouni (ALG)
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Company profile
Name: Tratok Portal
Founded: 2017
Based: UAE
Sector: Travel & tourism
Size: 36 employees
Funding: Privately funded
Company%20profile
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Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Specs%20
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions