A new book by Australian journalist Rafael Epstein, which attempts to shed new light on the life and death of Mossad agent Ben Zygier, claims that he was embroiled in the "shadow war" waged between the Israeli and Iranian intelligence agencies. The Australian-born Zygier committed suicide in December 2010 in his cell in the maximum-security Ayalon Prison. The records of the investigation into his death, initially reported by the Australian media in February 2012 due to Israeli censorship restrictions, were sealed. In an article published by the Sydney Morning Herald Saturday, Epstein claims that the book, titled "Prisoner X," reveals new information about Zygier's work for an Italian-based communications company believed to have business ties with Tehran, and alleges that while Zygier was studying at Monash University in Melbourne he had leaked sensitive information to an Iranian businessman who was also attending the university. "Put simply, Ben said too much to the wrong person at the wrong time," he wrote. "[Zygier] was part of a significant operation targeting Iran's nuclear program, with an Australian security source saying Israel 'built themselves a platform that required considerable planning, expenditure
it was a very important asset for Israel's national security, and ultimately for the benefit of the West,'" Epstein wrote. He further claimed that according to his sources in Australia and Israel, the Iranian businessman "knew that what he was hearing was valuable, and relayed the information to Iran. Tehran's security services started talking about the Mossad agent, and the details revealed by Zygier then became part of the electronic traffic between Iran and a European capital city." The communication was then traced and intercepted by the "massive surveillance network operated by Israel," the Australian journalist's alleged, adding that at the same time Zygier was also the subject of an investigation held by the Australian Security Intelligence Organization, which was "concerned over his use of his Australian passports for Mossad operations overseas." "Details of Zygier's work, and of another Australian Mossad agent he was working with in Italy, were leaked by Australian intelligence sources to then-Fairfax journalist Jason Koutsoukis," Epstein wrote. The book, Epstein said, contradicts previous reports on Zygier's case and his alleged failed mission to recruit a Lebanese double agent for Hezbollah. The book also notes that despite the fact that Australia's national security intelligence service had Zygier under surveillance during his 2009 stay in Melbourne, his case was never discussed by officials in Prime Ministers Kevin Rudd or Julia Gillard's administrations. Epstein states in the book that the Koutsoukis' expos of Zygier's case led to the revelation of another secret prisoner who was held in the same secret cell block in Ayalon Prison. The existence of a second "Prisoner X" has never been corroborated by any Israeli source. He also claims that "Zygier's family later received around $1 million in compensation from Israel, and agreed not to take civil action." Epstein stressed that the family did not cooperate with him while he was writing the book and have maintained their media silence over their son's death.
