APCO = the new Altantuya; the Shin Bet connection

ARCHIVES 2010

By admin-s On Apr 1, 2010

I think we may be on to something big here. I suggest you start with Tian’s 2 articles, here and here.

As what will hopefully be part of a multi-part series (sorry in advance if you get sick of it), let me start with the Shin Bet connection.

By Nat Tan

Shin Bet = Shabak = Israel Security Agency (ISA, ironically) = the Israeli internal spying agency = Israel’s Special Branch (but if you can imagine, even worse).

I think I too must add the obligatory “this is not anti-Semitic” preamble. Like many of us who studied in the US, we have tons of great Jewish friends, and have long learnt to differentiate between Jew and Zionist.

Especially after researching the Shin Bet however, I think there is even less doubt as to some of the repressive tendencies of the Israeli government.

First, let us establish the Shin Bet connection to APCO (APCO’s involvement w/the government, we must note, has been established beyond doubt).

It starts here, with a member of APCO’s Advisory Board, a man named Doron Bergerbest-Eilon:

Doron Bergerbest-Eilon is the former head of the protection and security division and the senior ranking security official of the Israeli Security Agency (ISA), a position equivalent to the rank of major general. Mr. Bergerbest-Eilon is the founder, president and CEO of ASERO Worldwide, where he advises clients on strategic and tactical security challenges and provides assistance to both governments and corporations to prepare, mitigate and recover from threats of terrorism and other hazards; and to protect lives and critical assets and ensure continuity of operations.

Someone with the connections of an ex-Major General of the Israeli Defense Forces? And CEO of which company again? ASERO? Back to Tian:

Apco’s involvement in various intelligence and security-related projects is done through its strategic partner and sister company Asero Worldwide. While Apco’s expertise is in the field of communications, Asero specialises in homeland security and risk management consultancy.

Apco and Asero have many overlapping consultants and management members. For example, Doron Bergerbest-Eilon who sits on Apco’s International Advisory Council was also founder and president of Asero Worldwide.

Mara Hedgecoth, the daughter of Apco CEO and President Margery Kraus also sits in Asero as Vice President. At the same time, Mara Hedgecoth also serves as Vice President and Director in Apco Worldwide.

The connection between APCO and ASERO is fully public. The only other company mentioned on ASERO’s About Us page:

ASERO is a partner company with APCO Worldwide, an independent, majority employee-owned global communication consultancy.

Let’s leave most of the details about ASERO for another post – suffice to say that they are clearly being run by the same people; practically part of the same holding company / mafia. Let’s just start very simply with ASERO’s Management Team.

David Harel
Managing Director and Vice President, Israel
Former head of international relations for the protection and security division of the Israeli Security Agency

Oded Raz
Vice President
Former senior ranking security official of the Israeli Security Agency

Gadi Kalai
Director
Former regional security manager (RSO) of the Israeli Security Agency (ISA)’s north region

That’s a company run by four top ranking Shin Bet officials. I think it’s time we hear a bit about Shin Bet, aka Shabak.