Mossad’s most dastardly (alleged) plots

THE VULTURES OF ZION Country: Saudi Arabia The plot: Israeli scientists are training vultures to spy on Arab countries. The evidence: This week, Saudi Arabian security forces took into custody a live vulture who was found near the rural town of Hayel wearing a bracelet marked “Tel Aviv University.” While Israeli scientists say the bird ...

MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP/Getty Images
MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP/Getty Images
MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP/Getty Images

THE VULTURES OF ZION

THE VULTURES OF ZION

Country: Saudi Arabia

The plot: Israeli scientists are training vultures to spy on Arab countries.

The evidence: This week, Saudi Arabian security forces took into custody a live vulture who was found near the rural town of Hayel wearing a bracelet marked “Tel Aviv University.” While Israeli scientists say the bird was part of a migration study, local residents told the Saudi media that it was most likely part of a “Zionist plot.” Speculation then took off on Saudi websites that Israeli intelligence was training the birds as part of an espionage mission.

Researchers at Tel Aviv University say that a number of the tagged vultures have reached Saudi Arabia since the study began. Most are now presumed dead, but one bird is still flying around the country — no doubt gathering vital intelligence for the Zionist entity — and thus far, the captured “R65” has shown no willingness to give up his comrade.

Read more.

Joshua E. Keating was an associate editor at Foreign Policy.

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