Part 121 – OCTOBER 31 1988
President Hashemi Rafsanjani has commissioned the bombing of the [Pan Am 103] jet in the summer of 1988, when he was the Speaker of Parliament. We know who did. From an intelligence point of view, the case is solved. - Vincent Cannistraro, Head of the CIA Counterterrorism Center, November 21st 1990 [1]
Yesterday, Oct. 30 1988, the BKA finally informed the Swedish police (SAPO) about the possible links between the PLFP-GC suspected members arrested on Oct. 26 during Operation Autumn Leaves and the Swedish cell of the PPSF in Uppsalla.
Also, official documents show that the directors of the Miska bakery in Malta met on 31st October 1988 and that all of them resigned their position. According to the said documents, Dr. Khaled El Nahal, Imad Adel Hazzouri, and Alaa El Deen Shurrab attended the meeting.
These documents have clearly been forged. Dr. Khaled Nahal could not have attended such meeting. Magdi Ahmed Gaber Mousa did not attend such a meeting. After 31st October 1988, Abd El Salam Arif Abu Nada and Jamal Haider remained as directors. The Miska bakery is a front for the PFLP-GC. [2]
Finally, a CIA cable dated Oct. 31 1988 reveals that the Agency had learned that their asset Majid Giaka, about to become the star witness of the Lockerbie trial, was involved in illegal activities at Luqa airport, Malta. The cable reads as follows.
"We suspect illegal commissions earned through his -- and in fact it's LAA capacity -- perhaps low-level smuggling." [3] Clearly, the CIA suspected that Giaka was engaging in smuggling through the airport by virtue of his capacity with the LAA, in addition to his ability to circumvent immigration controls. Cannistraro has called Giaka "a slug."
As a result of Operation Autumn Leaves conducted during this month, the PFLP-GC cell in Germany was mostly whipped out. However, key members, such Abu Elias, have escaped and most importantly the fifth IED -- namely the one brought to Frankfurt by Abu Elias on the 22nd and wired by Marwan Khreesat on the 23rd -- has been smuggled out of Hashem Abassi House by Dalkamoni on Monday Oct. 24, 1988.
On May 20th of this year, former CIA operative told me that the fifth device is the bomb that exploded on Pan Am 103.
Ahmed Jibril faces two immediate issues. Firstly, he must understand quickly how the BKA managed to whipe out so thoroughly his cell in Germany.
Secondly, he must decide either to give up on his operation or to subcontract the job. Both issues will be solved in the next two weeks. By Dec. 7, Jibril will be able to tell his contact in Tehran that the Operation is back on track.
NOTES AND REFERENCES
1. Ex-C.I.A. Official Says U.S. Ignores Syrian Terror - November 21, 1990
2. See Lockerbie trial transcript p. 6587
3. See Lockerbie trial transcript p. 6588
