Israel's Mossad says it abducted hitman from inside Iran

 Israel's Mossad says it abducted hitman from inside Iran

Israel's spy agency says it carried out an operation in Iran to capture the suspected head of a hit squad that planned to kill Israelis in Cyprus.

Mossad, which rarely speaks to the media, said the man gave a detailed "confession" about his orders from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

It said it informed authorities in Cyprus, where the cell was dismantled.

The case is the latest reminder of the continuing shadow war between Israel and Iran, which are long-time enemies.

An Israeli expert told the BBC that the unusual openness of Israeli intelligence could have been prompted by reports that the US has quietly restarted indirect talks with Iran to contain its nuclear programme.

"Israel's interest here in publicising this is to show the world that you might be making a deal with Iran on its nuclear programme, but Iran is a far greater challenge," comments Yaakov Katz, journalist and author of Israel Vs Iran: The Shadow War.

"It tries to assassinate businessmen in places like Europe; it does a lot more than just enrich uranium."

He describes entering Turkish-controlled Northern Cyprus and crossing illegally to the south of the island to kill an unnamed Israeli businessman. He says he had been sent the man's photograph and address by his handler in the IRGC, a powerful paramilitary force.

"My plan was… after I found out he was there and where he was going, if it was a quiet and empty road, I would kill him with the weapon," the man says.

After scoping out his target and taking pictures of his home, the alleged hitman apparently fled from Cyprus and headed back to Iran, because he was alerted that police were looking for him.

It is not clear from the footage if the man is speaking under duress.

Mossad has not given details of when or where the capture happened, nor when the attack in Cyprus was due to take place.

For decades, Israel has viewed Iran as its greatest adversary, citing calls by the Iranian government for its destruction and Tehran's backing of militant groups which carry out attacks against it.

FULL ARTICLE AT: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world/middle_east