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https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2001-07-23-0107230242-story.html
Self-promoter hides behind veil of secrecy
John Crewdson, Tribune staff reporter
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
July 23, 2001
On April 18, a Chicago Tribune reporter, editor and lawyer met with Avi Ben-Abraham in New York City, in the presence of his attorneys, Alan and Nathan Dershowitz.
During the two-hour session, the Tribune presented Ben-Abraham with a lengthy list of questions about his career. Ben-Abraham declined to be interviewed at that time, but Nathan Dershowitz later advised the Tribune that Ben-Abraham would answer questions on April 27.
Nathan Dershowitz later rescheduled the interview for May 17. On May 15, a letter arrived from Tzachi Hanegbi, the Israeli environment minister.
Hanegbi wrote: "No information can be revealed about Dr. Avi Ben-Abraham or his activities due to his involvement since the 1970s in classified projects, involving issues of international interests. It is my opinion that since 1976 intelligence agencies, in an effort to protect Dr. Ben-Abraham's life and secret research work, have deliberately disseminated inaccurate and false information about him and his work. They have degraded his impressive academic records and secret scientific discoveries, undermining his credibility and thereby making him a less likely target for terrorist groups and for media interests."
"I can assure you," Hanegbi's letter continued, "that Dr. Avi Ben-Abraham is a remarkable and honest person, possessing impressive academic credentials, exceptional intelligence and important scientific knowledge."
Hanegbi later advised the Tribune that Ben-Abraham would be available for an interview in Israel on June 19.
On June 12, the Tribune received a letter from Gen. Meir Amit, a former chief of the Israeli intelligence service, the Mossad, who is generally credited with a key role in Israel's victory against Egypt and Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War.
"Following a meeting with Mr. Avi Ben-Abraham, I instructed him not to be interviewed by you now," Amit wrote. In a subsequent telephone interview, however, Amit said, "I barely know" Ben-Abraham. As for whether Ben-Abraham had any association with Israeli intelligence, Amit said: "I don't think so. I don't know much about him. I know there were some articles in the Israeli press [about] how could such a young person become a doctor at the age of 17."
Advised of Amit's letter, Hanegbi professed to be mystified. "I cannot tell you why Mr. Amit made the decision to prevent the interview with you," Hanegbi said.
"All I know is that Mr. Ben-Abraham feels that Mr. Amit, who as far as I understand it, knows a lot of Avi Ben-Abraham's history on the issue of national security, I would say international security too, made it clear for him not to be interviewed. Because he was ready to be interviewed."
Echoing Ben-Abraham's suggestions going back 20 years that he has some connection to the CIA and other intelligence agencies, Hanegbi said unnamed agencies "have deliberately disseminated inaccurate and false information" about Ben-Abraham.
"There are many, many things that I know as a fact, not from gossip or rumors, that are very, very amazing," Hanegbi said.
"But until he reveals his story, I can only give you information that I convinced him to expose. He believes that he can only expose declassified matters, matters that are not classified after 20 years."
Hanegbi produced a 1978 letter from the former chief of Italian military intelligence advising the president of Austria that Ben-Abraham had decided, "in agreement with the political authorities of his own country, to discount any news concerning his scientific findings and rare personal qualities. . . . "
Hanegbi also provided a 1979 note from former CIA Deputy Director Ray Cline, who died in 1996, thanking Ben-Abraham for an "interesting exchange of views of matters of some importance concerning the security of the United States and its allies" and a 1980 invitation from the vice president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences inviting Ben-Abraham to visit China for one week, "on your own expenses," to discuss an otherwise unidentified "theory with common interests."
Once Ben-Abraham was "ready to expose things that he believes will not endanger at the moment the security of the United States and Israel," Hanegbi said, "it's going to be an amazing story.
"I think that he has a lot to do with the relationship between Israel and the United States. I know that he was very close to Mr. Bush. I've seen videocassettes. I know he was very close to Mr. Reagan. I've seen and heard materials proving this issue. I'm telling you the fact, based on things I cannot reveal. I know that he was very close–very close–to William Casey, head of the CIA. It's a fact. This man is not a simple man. His story is a story that is very, very special."