Sayan (Mossad)

A sayan (pl. sayanim), Hebrew for "assistant", is a term for a Mossad operative recruited from among the Jewish Diaspora to help the Mossad with operations outside Israel, utilising the capacity of their own nationality to procure assitance. While not official Mossad agents and sometimes acting without explicit knowledge, they may work in the capacity of unregistered representatives of the government of Israel in their respective nations.

Qualifications

According to Victor Ostrovsky, who claims to be a former Mossad operative, the sayanim are selected from foreign nationals who are "100% Jewish" under the pretext that they will be working for a legitimate organisation in the interests of protecting the diaspora. Ostrovsky describes that an intrinsic loyalty is assumed because Jews are disinclined to betray other Jews even if they decide not to help with what they are requested to do.

Ostrovsky claims that for London alone the Mossad has a list of thousands of recruited and willing sayanim.

Function

In his book By Way of Deception, Ostrovsky describes the following examples of services the sayanim might provide using their citizenship or residency status or occupation:

  • The operator of a car rental agency can rent a car without completing the proper paperwork.
  • An apartment manager can provide an apartment without raising suspicions.
  • A bank owner or manager can assist in obtaining, exchanging, tranfering or laundering money.
  • A doctor can operate on a bullet wound without making a report.
  • Merchants can provide large quantities of their wares or help establish false business fronts.
  • Employees in high technology can provide direct information on civilian and military technology. Ostrovsky uses the French Exocet missile as an example of military technology that was compromised in this manner.

Sayanim were reportedly vital to the assassinations by the Mossad in Operation Wrath of God of those responsible for the Black September attacks.

See also

  • Katsa - a case officer or agent handler of the Mossad
  • Industrial espionage

References

de:Sajan (Mossad)