Title: The Lillehammer Affair: A Tale of Failure and Mistaken Identity
Subtitle: A new film sheds light on the resounding failure of the Mossad in Lillehammer
Date: [current date]
In a stunning revelation, a recently released film, “The Lillehammer Curse,” uncovers a deeper and more disturbing narrative surrounding the infamous Lillehammer affair. Considered the most traumatic failure of the Mossad even after 50 years, the film challenges the existing understanding of the events that transpired. The story revolves around a mistaken identification that led to the assassination of a Moroccan waiter, Ahmed Boushiki, whom the Mossad agents believed to be the commander of the Black September organization.
“The two main investigators did not believe that this was a Mossad story,” reveals Moshe Elad, an orientalist who investigated the Lillehammer case, in the film. The incompetence displayed by the Mossad agents involved in the operation left the investigators in disbelief. The failure of Lillehammer is seen as a reflection of wider issues within the Mossad, including arrogance and the inability to accept responsibility for failures.
The series of events leading up to the Lillehammer affair began in September 1972 after the Black September organization murdered 11 Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics. In response, Prime Minister Golda Meir ordered the elimination of the top echelons of the organization in Europe. Mossad’s operative unit “Caesaria,” led by Mike Harari, took charge of the mission.
On the surface, the operation seemed successful, with 16 senior members of the PLO “asked” for sit-down meetings that ended in their elimination. However, the remaining target, Ali Hassan Salama, also known as “The Red Prince,” proved to be elusive.
The Mossad received critical information from a Circassian psychiatrist claiming to be working undercover for the agency. The psychiatrist reported that Salama had traveled to Oslo, Norway. A hastily assembled Mossad team, led by Avraham Gemar and Dan Arbel, focused their efforts on capturing Salama in Lillehammer, a city in Norway.
However, a series of amateurish mistakes ensued. The team mistakenly identified Ahmed Boushiki, a Moroccan waiter, as Salama and proceeded with the assassination. Silvia Raphael, a Mossad agent, even confirmed that Boushiki was not Salama. Despite the warnings, the order to execute was given, resulting in Boushiki’s death.
The aftermath of the bungled operation unfolded into a disastrous chain of events. The Mossad’s cover was blown as a neighbor reported the number plates of their vehicle to the police. The agents returned the vehicle to the rental company, leaving a trail of evidence. Arrests were made, and the truth behind the operation unraveled during interrogations.
The film highlights the lack of cooperation between the Mossad and the Norwegian authorities. Yossi Melman, a journalist and commentator, points out that the Mossad operated as a state within a state, hindering investigative efforts. The six Mossad agents involved in the affair were eventually convicted and imprisoned.
As the decades pass, the Lillehammer affair remains a dark stain on the reputation of the Mossad. The film “The Lillehammer Curse” delves into the heart of this failed operation, exposing deep-rooted flaws within the Mossad and shedding light on the human cost of intelligence failures.
Despite the passage of time, the Lillehammer affair serves as a stark reminder of the consequences when arrogance and incompetence outweigh prudence and professionalism in matters of national security.
As the audience watches the film, they are left contemplating the long-lasting impact of an operation gone horribly wrong and questioning the lessons learned from this resounding failure.