Haifa Palestine

By Jack Bronan

Angela Tan, an undercover agent, was found dead in very mysterious circumstances in Ponggol, Singapore.

Natasha Anderson, a CIA senior operative, was baffled by the method of killing: a signature incision with a trace of neurotoxin in the bloodstream. Several similar killings were confirmed in Europe and the United States.

Daniel, the unlikely suspect, was a young billionaire chairman of a private company with footprints in all the continents. What was the link between Daniel and Haifa, a town in northern Israel?

Natashas investigations led her to a plot being hatched by Al-Qaeda to lure the United States into fighting a decisive regional war in the Middle East. She was determined to prevent the war from happening.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Partridge Publishing Singapore
• Release date: Jul 28, 2017
• ISBN: 9781543740998

Jack Bronan

Haifa Palestine is Jack Bronan’s maiden novel. He discovered his penchant for writing after leaving corporate life where he worked for the biggest American Oil & Gas Company. He reads widely on world affairs, with a special interest on terrorism, and has interviewed Afghan veterans from the Soviet War (1979-1989) which coalesced into the idea for this first novel. His other interest is getting intimate with German marques and classic cars. Jack Bronan is already working on a sequel to Haifa Palestine.

Book preview

HAIFA

PALESTINE

JACK BRONAN

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Copyright © 2017 by Jack Bronan.

ISBN:      Softcover      978-1-5437-4098-1

                eBook         978-1-5437-4099-8

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Toll Free 800 101 2657 (Singapore)

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www.partridgepublishing.com/singapore

Wani & Tasha

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Contents

Natasha Anderson

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

Angela Tan

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

Adela

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

C4

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

70

71

72

73

74

75

Abu Adnan

76

77

78

79

80

81

82

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84

85

86

87

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90

91

92

93

94

The Plan

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135

136

137

Haifa

138

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148

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152

153

154

155

The Imminent Attack

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NATASHA

ANDERSON

1

Ponggol. 2006

Pa! the little boy called out to his father.

What is it Ewe Jin!? his father replied without looking.

He was totally occupied playing mahjong.

Ooi Sang was a fisherman who had been living in this fishing village all his life.

Pa…! Ewe Jin called out again, raising his voice. Come here and see what I’ve found!

Don’t disturb me! Can’t you see I’m busy?

Pa! There’s a lady at the bottom of the jetty. I think she’s dead.

Four jaws dropped! Ooi Sang and his mahjong buddies froze; looking at each others’ faces. They could not believe what they just heard.

Ooi Sang stood up and made his way hurriedly towards his son standing at the edge of the jetty.

What? A dead lady? he exclaimed.

Yes, the boy was telling the truth. There tied against one of the stilts was the body of a lady.

Dead!

2

Islamabad. Pakistan. 1980.

President Zia, the Study on Soviets in Afghanistan is ready.

Come over to my office after Friday prayers at fifteen hundred hours. Please come alone, directed the President.

Early March, 1980. Islamabad was quite cold and damp. It had been three months since the Soviet’s 40th Army stormed Kabul. President Hafizullah Amin had been executed by the GRU SPETSNAZ Special Forces at the Tajbeg Presidential Palace. Babrak Kamal had taken over the presidency.

A lot of things were in General Akhtar’s mind. He had just been appointed the Director of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) on the first day of the year. Hardly settled in his new position, he was about to present a comprehensive analysis of the early stages of the conflict across the border. Refugees were now trickling in. General Akhtar would in the very near future oversee a long chain of events which would facilitate the return of an old player to the international security scene.

3

How long do you think she’s been dead? Inspector George Lee asked his forensic expert, Dr. Chong Mei Ling.

I would say less than 12 hours, she responded as she flashed a light across the eyes of the dead woman.

How can you tell? Inspector Lee looked at her with admiration. The Medical Examiner was attached to the Singapore Forensic team which was equivalent to the CSI.

Well, her eyes were closed. It will take at least 12 to 24 hours for a thin film to form in the eyes. There’s no potassium content forming yet. Hold on, let me take her temperature… she answered, while she plugged in the thermometer into the deceased’s liver. 86.6 degrees Fahrenheit, which means she died approximately 8 hours ago.

That would be about 1:00 A.M. How soon can we get the autopsy report? he asked another question, this time with more urgency.

I have to do an autopsy on the suicide man from Tangling Street, and then I’ll do hers, the forensic expert replied, displeased with his tone.

Gutted stomach! Looks like an execution to me! exclaimed the Inspector, stressing the urgency of his case. This murder would be the sole conversation in many kopitiams on the peaceful island, not to mention his superior’s interest in solving the case.

Like I told you Inspector we will know in due course. In the meantime please let me do my work, she answered curtly.

Kiasu!

4

Inspector, The secretary was at the door.

The Superintendent will see you in his office now.

He stood up and walked through the small corridor to the end of the building. He knocked on the door which was already ajar.

Come in George! Busy morning? asked Superintendent David Wong.

The Inspector went in, saluted, and sat down across the table from his boss.

Yes sir. Two bodies were found, one at Tangling Street and the other at Ponggol, replied the Inspector confidently.

How soon can we get the autopsy reports on both? asked the Superintendent while he went through the Inspector’s report.

Before the Inspector could respond, the Superintendent continued, I want you to come back and discuss both cases with me tonight at my condo. I think there would be many interested parties especially on the lady. She didn’t seem the person who would be in a hurry to leave the world. I hope the autopsy report could help us understand the case better.

Yes sir. I’ll do that.

Inspector George Lee stood up, saluted his superior and left.

5

Sir, there’s a reporter from The Straits Times who wants to see you. Her name is Jessica Liew, the receptionist announced over the speaker phone.

OK Grace. Ask her to come up.

YO! What’s up, George? Jessica asked her old high school friend. She just got back from her vacation in America.

Oi! Suddenly American already hor? Why can’t you call me on my cell phone just like any other regular friends? George bantered with his friend in Singlish.

Aiya! I want to see you personally. By being here I can watch you while you answer my questions…lor, Jessica answered with a laugh.

You come here to ask about the two dead people from this morning…right? Well, you have to wait, George explained to the young ambitious reporter.

You read my mind, but not entirely correct. I’m here to ask you just on the lady at the jetty. A lot of people are asking…Why leh? What’s going on? We’re supposed to be living in one of the safest cities in the world. And then this…

Issit? Wah, the case in the news already? George asked.

"Like that la! You always damn blur one…After Law School also the same. Blur like sotong! The wonders of the internet, Georgie! Her photos at the jetty are already online…Everyone is asking why a beautiful young lady ended up dead like that!" Jessica said, trying to fish for some information.

George felt disturbed with what he had heard from his friend.

Who could have gotten the pictures on the net so fast? It must be the camera phones.

When I arrived at the scene, there were at least fifty people on the jetty. Well, can’t blame them as a crime like this seldom happened on this peaceful island.

Excuse me sir! said Sergeant Maran. We got a match for her fingerprints. It’s from the Immigration Department’s system.

What? The Immigration Department!? Are you sure? George looked at his Sergeant, confused.

She was from Malaysia. She worked for Steve, Michael and Chong, a Law firm. She had a professional work permit. We will contact her employer for more information. By the way Inspector, the Forensic team is currently on the way to her condo.

A lawyer from Malaysia…but… George wondered.

Get the car, Sergeant; we’re going to her condo!

George, I follow can? Jessica cut in, trying her luck.

"Eh! Don’t play play! Kepo! Sergeant, please escort my good friend to the lobby. Err…sorry Jess! "

Relax lah! I need to go to lunch anyway…See you later alligator!

6

Angela Tan’s condo was situated in one of more expensive areas in downtown Singapore. The Forensic team was already at their task when Inspector George Lee arrived.

There was no trace of any struggle, Inspector. Neither was there a forced break-in. And, no blood found, explained a SF Officer.

The Inspector was not surprised. If you wanted to murder someone you would not do it in a posh condo like this; especially one with a sophisticated security system. The murderer could have waited for her somewhere and had her kidnapped.

It was premeditated murder but why? The young inspector asked himself.

Maybe, she was on a major case. It could be a local triad.

His other team was currently checking with the deceased’s employer. They should know more soon enough.

But the Inspector got a feeling the condo could give more clues. He went through the living room and stopped at a side table and looked at some framed photos. There was a photo of her in a beautiful dress posing on stage.

Was she also a model?

Excuse me, Inspector; this is her neighbor, Miss Amy Tan. No relation to the deceased.

Hi Amy. Inspector George Lee here. How long had you known Angela? George asked the lady in her late thirties.

She moved here two years ago from KL. She was a lawyer. We had met on several occasions, she replied.

Kuala Lumpur? Did she live alone? George asked, trying to see the case from a different angle.

Yes, to the best of my knowledge. And I never saw her bringing any man back to the condo… Amy answered, knowing very well what the Inspector was implying.

Do you by any chance know where this photo was taken? George inquired, pointing to her the photo of Angela on stage.

"You mean…this one? This was in KL at the Malaysian Batik Charity Gala. She volunteered to model for the dresses to be auctioned. Pretty, wasn’t she?"

And yes indeed, Angela was a beautiful woman!

7

Natasha cried the whole night last night. She loved him. But, when she was convinced that he was seeing another woman, she just had to end it. Even if she knew that the sadness would be excruciating. This was one area that the CIA never trained her for. The personal sacrifices were enormous.

As a terrorism specialist, she had to travel the world. They had agreed to continue their relationship even though they both knew deep inside that her challenging career would strain their love lives.

They had met when she was finishing her doctorate in History at the University of California, Berkeley. He was finishing his Law degree. It was coup de foudre. The time they had spent together was wonderful.

Two years after they first met, things were not the same. Both were having stressful jobs. After several years at Langley-McLean, she joined the counter terrorism unit. It was something she had wanted for a long time.

9/11 had changed her life. Her father was one of the three thousand victims who perished that fateful morning. America was still at war with the terrorists. It was without a doubt a long haul war. She would avenge her father’s death. Al-Qaeda would have to pay!

Natasha Anderson knew that CIA would be her career choice after losing her father. She had nothing to look forward to. Her mother had passed away when she was ten. She had nobody left!

Natasha took the standard issue firearm. She had to prepare for her new assignment with the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC). NCTC believed that there would be another major attack though on a smaller scale compared to 9/11. She would be tracking terrorists all over the world and helping those countries understand and eliminate the threat of terrorism. Natasha’s team would work with other units in the field to gather data and anticipate the next terrorist attack on American soil. She knew it would be a dangerous job but with her love life behind her, nothing mattered anymore.

She had her country to protect. She would perform her job to the fullest, even if it meant sacrificing her own life for her country, America!

8

Natasha checked her night bag. She always kept one in her Hummer H3. She had been to many locations of terrorist attacks around the world.

The Madrid train bombings, on the morning of March 11, 2004, were a series of coordinated bombings against the commuter train system of Madrid, Spain. The bombings killed 191 people and wounded over 1800. The attacks consisted of a series of ten explosions at the height of the rush hour aboard four commuter trains.

The July 7, 2005 London bombings were a series of coordinated bomb blasts that struck London’s Underground trains. At 0850 hrs, three bombs exploded within 50 seconds of each other on three trains. A fourth bomb exploded on a bus nearly an hour later at 0947 hrs in Tavistock Square. Fifty-two people died in the attacks and about 700 were injured; the four perpetrators also died.

Natasha was also involved in investigating the bombings in Amman, Jordan on November 9, 2005 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, the Radisson SAS Hotel and the Days Inn.

9

As for America, Natasha was sure that there were sleeper cells waiting and planning to attack. The question was where? Would they come back to New York? She had a strong feeling that the next major attack would be on American soil. At this point, she was not able to prove her theory. Her superiors had the same opinion. She was asked to set up a multi-skilled team for this purpose.

Natasha put on her new pair of jeans and went out to have dinner with her best friend Mandy O’Neil, an analyst at the Council for Foreign Policy or CFP in Manhattan. They decided on the La Goule, a French restaurant at 746 Madison Avenue.

Natasha loved French cuisine ever since her stay during summer in Paris with her late father. Her father was an architect. They would always spend time discussing the designs and patterns of buildings whenever they were vacationing together. She missed her father very much. She was always wishing for the blissful memories with her father would stay with her forever.

Oh my God, look at you. You’re gorgeous, Natasha, Mandy hugged her best friend.

It has been almost four years since we were at Langley, right?

Yes. How’s Sam? I was hoping you would bring him along, Natasha asked of Mandy’s son.

He has to be home on school nights.

You mentioned that you’re now based here. Would that mean I’ll see you more often? Mandy asked.

Yes. I was recently transferred to the NCTC New York Station. Anyway, are you still at CFP?

Yes. I’m not sure what my role is. There is hardly any action. All we do are prepare research papers and presentations, Mandy complaining of her mission at CFP.

They put you there to protect the Board of Directors, remember? You know that. It is an important institution. The guests that have graced CFP are important leaders of America’s allies.

Well, I guess you’re right. At least, I’m with Sam. That’s important. Hey, didn’t I tell you that I’ve met this new guy that stays near my place? Mandy chuckled.

No, you didn’t. Who…?

10

Natasha switched on the TV and watched the news for awhile. There was a special report on Iran’s Nuclear Program.

What would happen if America were to go to war with Iran? The war in Iraq is still not won, to say the least. Morale among the soldiers is very low. The IEDs, the insurgents’ weapon of choice, are giving a big impact to the psychological state of the soldiers.

America’s debt was at unthinkable levels. Another war now would make it worse. If America were to go to war with Iran, there would be an escalation of attacks on American interests all over the world. There were many targets that they could hit. Natasha’s interest now was to protect America. NCTC had already prepared a list of key targets that the terrorists would likely hit. But, with so many targets on the list, it was just impossible to efficiently secure all of them. NCTC worked on the assumption that there were many dormant Al-Qaeda cells waiting for the right moment to come alive. Her main task was to uncover the cells’ plans before they could be executed. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack, a very daunting endeavor.

11

Good morning. Thank you for making it on time today. My name is… Natasha gave a short introduction to her new team. She had five agents under her supervision. She had three field agents and two analysts. She would partner a seasoned agent named Steve Knight. Steve had been with NCTC for more than two years and had been involved with counter terrorism since his first year. Prior to joining the NCTC, he was with the FBI. She had selected Steve as his network with FBI would facilitate any required investigation that needed to be done in America and his rapport would help her grease through the FBI’s backyard. Natasha believed that seamless communication would be the key to the success of her team.

12

Natasha continued the discussion with Agent Steve Knight.

What target would be symbolic enough for Congress to declare a full scale war against Iran or Syria? And, something that might escalate to a regional war.

Seriously, it is hard to say. What about the Congress itself? Steve opined.

If the theory of seeking a pretext was correct, they need a Congress which is functioning. It must be something significant to the government but uniquely low profile. It could be an organization or people with great influence on the Administration but not part of the government. We’ve to come out with a list of organizations which have influence over the Administration, Natasha exploring the probable targets.

What about refineries or nuclear reactors? Steve was trying to look at a different angle.

You could be right. But, I’ve a strong feeling that they are targeting an organization with direct influence over our Administration. Not to punish the common people, like what 9/11 did. They might want to show to the world the real people who are, at least, complicit in the unnecessary death of thousands of Muslims around the world. Natasha based her assumptions on mere conjecture.

Natasha’s cell phone rang.

Yes, speaking…What? When did it happen? OK. I’ll be right on it.

She sat down, her heart pounding hard.

Natasha, what is it? Steve noticed Natasha’s anxiety.

Someone just hit C4 storage in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Natasha replied. Steve, get the team ready. We are leaving for Albuquerque in 30 minutes. Ask them to wait at the airport. The jet will be waiting for us. She was really concerned about this new development.

About 200kg of C4 was reported stolen and they knew about it a few days after it happened. A private security guard was reported missing along with his car. The car was found abandoned in a ravine by a cyclist. And the storage facility was just a mile away.

The team boarded the NCTC private jet and flew due southwest. The local CSI was already there to start the investigation.

13

Where’s the body? Natasha asked one of the state troopers milling around the side.

His body was taken to the morgue, he replied.

Natasha and her team scoured the area along with the state troopers. They found that the perpetrator had gone in through the fence behind the facility. Then, the perpetrator cut out a part of the steel wall of the storage and replaced it back to avoid detection. The plan worked. No one who passed by the storage facility had assumed anything was amiss.

Natasha suspected that a few days ago the private security personnel must have sensed something was wrong and confronted the perpetrator before he was murdered. It must have happened at the front gate. They found blood covered by soil and sand. The blood was covered well by the perpetrator. The blood had been sent to the lab for confirmation.

How would you know that there was only one person? Natasha asked Steve.

The shoe prints in the storage area looked fresh, maybe about forty eight hours old but there was just one size. The intruder had come alone. Anyway, CSI had confirmed with the owner that only he and his assistant ever went into the storage. The shoe size that we found was of a different size from those of the two. The owner purposely did not bring just any person to the storage as he wanted to keep the place a secret, Steve explained. Natasha was surprised with the lack of security measures taken. Although it had met federal regulations, the owner should have done more to secure the place like having 24-hour security guards, guard dogs and cameras linked to a central security center.

They walked outside the facility and found many mountain-bike tracks. When they arrived back to the main gate, they asked: Why are there so many bicycle tracks around the facility? According to the trooper, the city held a mountain-bike tournament every summer and the last one was held about a week ago. It was famous among keen mountain bikers all around the country.

Steve, I want you to check every hotel and motel in town if anyone had met any suspicious person who came before and left a few days after the mountain-bike tournament.

Natasha believed that the perpetrator had followed the owner to the storage. According to the report the last time the owner was here was two weeks before the tournament. He had come to collect some explosives for the training at one of the army camps nearby. The owner was a major contractor to the US Army and his company was listed online. The perpetrator might have followed him here as not many had knowledge on the whereabouts of the storage and must have come back after studying the facility. If the perpetrator had not murdered the security personnel, they would not have known at all at least until the next visit by the owner. Alas, the 48 hours was enough time for the person to disappear.

14

Natasha asked one of the state troopers to send her to the coroner’s office. She wanted to see the body of the security personnel. When she arrived at the office it was already dark.

Hi, I’m looking for Dr. John Samoa, Natasha asked the receptionist.

The room is on the right, she pointed to a half-glass door.

Natasha could smell the putrid air as she neared the room. She gave a soft knock on the glass door. The man looked up and then indicated with his hand for her to come in.