Members of the Israeli intelligence organization, the Mossad, have purchased land near the Syrian border in northern Iraq for the purpose of spying on Syria and Iran, according to a report in the United Arab Emirates daily Al-Bayyan.
The report, quoting sources in northern Iraq, said the Israelis purchased the land, covering approximately 618 acres, from impoverished Kurds residing in the region, for up to ten times its real value. Local Kurds said the area has been fenced in with barbed wire, and it is being modified into an intelligence base aimed at monitoring Syria.
The sources added that Israeli intelligence people intend on building other bases near the Iraqi-Iranian border to monitor traffic and cells gathering along the Iranian border. They added that the so-called Mossad people are driving Jeeps with Kurdistan number plates and that many of them speak fluent Arabic and Kurdish and are disguised as locals.
There was reportedly extensive teamwork between American and Israeli intelligence personnel on the Iraqi border who are cooperating to ward off potential Islamic extremists targeting American forces.
Israel does not comment on its overseas operations.