The Dreamer Vs. The Prophet - December 8th 2006

The Dreamer Vs. The Prophet 

Over thirty five years ago two historians were considered among the most distinguished in their field. Two, who wrote their books jointly. The American Larry Collins and the French Dominique Lapierre.They wrote a few of the most famous books of the time. "Is Paris Burning", "Freedom At Midnight", "O Jerusalem" and many more.  Only once did they write a fiction – or so they thought – with the aim to bring to the light of day the decision making process in a number of Capitals. Washington, Paris, London, Jerusalem, Cairo and Tripoli, all under the "auspices" of The Cold War.

"The Fifth Horseman" is a story about a Muslim terrorist group supported by Mua'mar Gadahfi, successfully smuggling an atom bomb into New York.  Thereafter, the Libyan ruler gives an ultimatum to The White House.  If Israel fails to vacate the West Bank within 2 days, New York will vanish. Imagination? A dream? Who actually thought 40 years ago about the possibility to smuggle an atom bomb into New York.  [well, who thought that in the 1880s Jules Verne was a prophet not a dreamer].

Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins

Two weeks ago Great Britain learned that the two distinguished historians, when writing "The Fifth Horseman" were not dreamers, but prophets. The ex - FSB agent Alexander Litvinenko who found asylum in London was murdered, using Polonium 210. The effect of the poison is by either tasting or even breathing. And – according to Scotland yard - Mr. Litvinenko was poisoned either in room 440 or in the bar of the Millennium Hotel in the Grosvenor  Square , where other employees were effected.

The Press in England and elsewhere were speculating as to who is guilty. The Kremlin? Mr. Boris Borosovski, another one of the Kremlin's critics who found asylum in London? The Chechen underground? or perhaps did Mr. Litvinov commit suicide?

The answer to this question is not "important" to our discussion [although the pointing of the finger to Boris Borosovski sounds absurd, as if it is found to be correct, he is risking being delivered back to The Kremlin only to meet a similar fate to that of Mikhail Khodorkovki of even worse.].

For our discussion the issue is the fact that radioactive material is available around London.  If the murder was executed by FSB agents, in accordance with a new law enacted by the Russian Parliament, according to which, the Russian security services are permitted to fight extremists all over the world, here you have the first time since World War II, where a country uses radioactive weapons against its enemies. The fact that only a small measure of Polonium 210 was used  is not a comfort. One way or another, one country succeeded  in infiltrating security and smuggling non conventional weapons into another country, and using it, although by so doing, it exposed dozens if not hundreds who crowed the he bar of the hotel.

And if this was a non state initiated act of terror, then we have arrived at the realization of Collins and Lapierre's frightening prophesy. Terrorist who seek revenge used radioactive killers to meet their aim. And if indeed, Mr. Litvinenko committed suicide, how did an ex agent seating in London as a refugee put his hand on such a devastating material?

Whatever is the reply, we have arrived at a new stage.  The real danger of mass annihilation is here.  Are we ready?

About 6 week ago Seoul was exercising massive evacuations in preparation for the possibility of non conventional attacks from the North. In England, evacuation will be too late. Those  motives that encouraged the assassination of the individual in order to silence him like the killing in November of the Dutch producer Theo Van Gogh for criticizing Islam's attitude to women, do not differ from the those motives that brought about  the bombing of the train station in the center of Madrid in December of the same year, or from the motives that caused the "transportation terror" in the center of London, in July 2005, or the "justifications" of the violent demonstrations in the Arab World, resulting from the caricatures associated with the Prophet Muhammad in Denmark, in the autumn of 2005, not to mention 9/11.  And how do we define the chaos caused by the Islamic population in Paris at the end of last year?  Is Paris safe? Or "Is Paris Burning?".

Western civilization and culture have long become hostages, and crime has no boundaries.  If a terrorist can smuggle radioactive material, so can a "common criminal".  And if agents of a government can use such material for the purpose of killing, so can a terrorist, all on account of the lives of the innocents in the streets of London, Paris, New York or Amsterdam.

The main stream in Europe is still indifferent. Therefore, Muslim fundamentalism resulted in the forming of extreme Right Wing in many countries around the continent.  The Free Party in Austria, The North league Party in Italy, The Nation Party in Switzerland, The Advancement Party in Norway, who all find common ground with Jean-Marie Le Pen [who by now came second in the 2002 Presidential Election in France], or the Neo Nasiz parties in Germany.

Radioactive Terror  activity will not only bring about a massive number of innocent deaths, but will add blood to these parties. A challenge to democracy.

The British?  No. They asked the Kremlin – the main suspect -  for help to find the culprits.  Vladimir Putin for sure will point at his agents as the murderers. Or may be, just may be, England fails to understand the historic precedents in the streets of London.

I, for one, agree with the latter thinking.

Zalli Jaffe,

Jerusalem