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| <ref name=star>{{cite web|title=Secret agent vulture tale just the latest in animal plots|url = http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/916624--secret-agent-vulture-tale-just-the-latest-in-animal-plots|page=|publisher = ]|author= Gil Yaron |date=2011-01-05|ISBN = }}</ref> | <ref name=star>{{cite web|title=Secret agent vulture tale just the latest in animal plots|url = http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/916624--secret-agent-vulture-tale-just-the-latest-in-animal-plots|page=|publisher = ]|author= Gil Yaron |date=2011-01-05|ISBN = }}</ref> | ||
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Revision as of 03:49, 6 January 2011
Mossad shark and Zionist vulture are only two latest wacky conspiracy theories that involve animals, and are concerning Israel. These and other conspiracy theories have been circulating in Arab and Muslim media and Arabic language websites.
A few years ago Israel was accused of sending a spy pelican and a spy vulture to Sudan. The birds that were wearing a GPS device and a tag with the sign "Tel Aviv University" were captured by local officials. Israel was refused in getting back GPS transmitters, and the birds were accused in espionage for Israel. In October of 2008 Iran arrested two pigeons, who showed unhealthy interest in Iran's nuclear facility in Natanz. In 2007 Iranian media reported that 14 squirrels, who were caught spying for the West, were arrested just in time before they were able to cause a real damage.
During latest intifada Wafa, also known as the Palestine News Agency, scared residents of East Jerusalem by reports of rats as big as dogs released by Israel in order to make Palestinians to flee and to leave their homes to Jews.
A few days ago Saudi Arabia's officials arrested a "Zionist" vulture. They have charged the bird with spying for Israel. A few weeks ago shark attacks in Egypt were attributed to Mossad's ruled shark.
The Wall Street Journal's Bret Stephens pointed to the Mossad shark and other Arab conspiracy theories as an example of "the debasement of the Arab mind.".
Gil Yaron from Star-News said that "The Saudi accusation may seem paranoid, but fear of Mossad and its penchant for high-tech methods is a staple of Arab coverage of Israel."
Mossad shark
In December 2010 the governor of South Sinai, Mohammad Abdul Fadhil Shousha attributed Sharm el-Sheikh shark attacks to "Jews not jaws" as Honest Reporting called it. In his TV interview he said: "What is being said about the Mossad throwing the deadly shark in the sea to hit tourism in Egypt is not out of the question. But it needs time to confirm."
This conspiracy theory started to evolve with an interview that a Captain Mustafa Ismail, introduced as "a famous diver in Sharm El Sheikh" gave on TV program Egypt Today. In the interview Ismail stated that there are no oceanic whitetip sharks in the Red Sea off Egypt. When asked how the sharks got there, Ismail responded: "no, it's who let them in?" He went on to describe his phone conversation with an Israeli diver who told him that they captured an oceanic whitetip off Eilat, an Israeli town also on the Red Sea coast. Ismail became suspicious when the Israeli told him the shark they captured had a GPS navigation device. Although this is a common method of monitoring shark migrations, Ismail offered his own theory of using GPS device on sharks: "the sharks were monitored to attack in Egypt's waters only".
Zionist vulture
The griffon vulture with wing span about 8 feet was seen flying in Saudi Arabia not far away from a home of a shaikh near the city of Hayel. When the bird was captured, a GPS device and a leg tag with the sign "Tel Aviv University" were discovered on him. The authorities were alerted that the vulture was a part of "Zionist plot". The story was first reported in Saudi Arabia's newspaper Al-Weeam, and was discussed in Arabic websites and other Saudi Arabia media outlets.
Israeli officials called the accusation "ludicrous" and said they were "stunned" by the allegations and concerned that the bird could meet a horrible punishment in the notoriously severe Saudi justice system.
In an interview given to Israeli daily Ma'ariv an Israeli bird specialist explained how Israeli scientists are using GPS devices to determine the migration routes of the birds. In his interview he expressed the hope that the bird would be released.
References
- ^ Gil Yaron (2011-01-05). "Secret agent vulture tale just the latest in animal plots". Star-News.
- ^ Jackson Diehl (2011-01-05). "Israel's Spying Vulture -- and Killer Shark". Washington Post.
- Julie Stahl (2011-01-05). "Saudi Arabia Busts 'Israeli Spy' Vulture". CBN News.
- ^ Haaretz Service (2011-01-04). "Saudi Arabia 'nabbed Israeli-tagged vulture for being Mossad spy'". haaretz.
- ^ "Saudi Arabia 'detains' Israeli vulture for spying". BBC. 2011-01-05.
- "Egyptian Shark Attack: Jews Not Jaws?". honest reporting. 2010.
- Nasser Nasser (December 8, 2010). "Conspiracy Theories With a Bite". newsweek.
- Yasmine Fathi (December 6,2010). "Expert shoots down conspiracy theory blaming Israel for shark attacks". Ahram.
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