Mossad angry over British espionage series?
British daily 'The Sunday Express' reports senior Israeli agents arrived in London to view episode of BBC drama 'Spooks' where Mossad agents are depicted shooting bound prisoners in the back, interfering in UK-Saudi arms deal. Israeli embassy denies report
LONDON - The Mossad is furious at a popular British espionage drama series, or so says the 'Sunday Express. The British daily reported Sunday that senior Mossad agents were so angry with the way their organization was depicted in the BBC production 'Spooks' that they decided to take the matter to the British secret service.
High-ranking Mossad agents reportedly flew to London to see the last episode, which aired on BBC3 last week.
The episode deals with a large-scale deal between Britain and Saudi Arabia wherein Britain is promised an unlimited supply of fuel for handing over plutonium to the Saudis. Mossad agents attempt to thwart the deal, and are seen shooting bound and blindfolded prisoners in the back.
The paper reports that Mossad Chief Meir Dagan told senior advisors that he was "furious at this nonsense," and that he intended to take the matter up with MI6 Chief John Scarlett and his MI5 counterpart Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller. The Mossad has been critical of its portrayal in Steven Spielberg's film 'Munich'.
The Israeli embassy in Britain denied the report.
"This show makes us look like gang of thugs who are no different than the terrorists we're fighting," an unnamed Mossad agent told the 'Sunday Express'.
'We usually ignore garbage on such shows'
One of Dagan's assistants told the paper that the series creates the impression that it's based on intensive research, adding to its credibility, but that "if such research really did happen, no one from the BBC bothered to call Tel Aviv.
"We usually ignore the garbage on shows like 'Spooks' but the BBC still has a reputation as a responsible and objective network. This show is very biased – not just against the Mossad but against the entire intelligence community."
A BBC spokesman responded by saying that the series in question is fictional and that "we're sure the viewers understand that the episodes do not present actual events. The series is about intelligence organizations all over the world and they've all had to deal with the imagination of our screenwriters."
The Israeli Embassy in Britain categorically denied the report that Mossad agents had come to London to view the series.
Ambassador Zvi Hefetz told Ynet: "Unfortunately, and despite whatever may be reported in the paper, we've been too busy to watch the show this week or any other time, he said. "But if the mentioning of the Israeli Mossad boosts their ratings- then there's nothing we can do but smile."
