Israeli "art student" spies are back!

Brown Bomber

SARATOGA SPRINGS, Utah (ABC 4 News) - Sales people working neighborhoods in Northern Utah County have been asking some odd questions that have nothing to do with making the sale. Folks are reporting that they're asking about the new National Security Agency's data center that is being built at Camp Williams.

The sales people say they're Israeli art students and are selling their works to raise money for a gallery. Some have even produced what appear to be legitimate Israeli passports.

So, why would art students be interested in an NSA data center?

Blogs and even church bulletins are buzzing. One such bulletin sent out to LDS women in Highland said, "This is a scam! These are not art students and federal law enforcement groups are actually investigating their ties to organized crime and terrorist groups." The note went on, "Part of their mission here is to gain information on the new NSA installation coming to our area."

One Israeli artist knocked on Gail Black's door in Eagle Mountain. She bought a painting from him knowing that the price was too high, but she explained that she felt sorry for him. I asked her if he looked like a Mossad spy, she laughed and said, "No, just a poor thirsty boy." She said the subject of the NSA did not come up in their conversation.

Saratoga Springs residents have complained to their police department about the art students. Officer Matt Schauerhamer tracked down one group at a restaurant. He does not know if they were spies, but they're definitely not artists. "I told them, 'If you're actually an artist, why don't you draw something?' I gave them a piece of paper and gave them my pen. They produced a picture that was about on par with what my kindergartner could have done."

Officer Schauerhamer cited the group for soliciting without a city business license and then passed along their information to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He said ICE is investigating.

ABC 4 also contacted other agencies that might have interest in possible door-to-door spies. We were told by a spokesman for Utah Homeland Security that they were unaware of the Israeli artists and the FBI had no comment.
http://www.abc4.com/content/news/slc/story/Door-to-door-spies-in-Utah-County/sjOWsjk_zEqf6QeAfk4ZJw.cspx

meglome

Not to try to spoilt a sensationalist Israeli story but this art scam has been going on all over the place for years and not necessarily carried out by actual Israelis. So these are either the worst spies ever or they are just pulling off the same scam they have been running all over the world for a decade. About 5 or 6 years ago someone tried to pull this on me in Dublin.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_student_scam

alastair

Wow - for a moment there I though you might have found a new nationality and religion to obsess about, but no.

And the actual conspiracy here is the rip-off sale of tacky Chinese production line paintings at inflated prices to gullible Mormon housewives. The Zionist plot continues apace!

Brown Bomber

meglome wrote: »

Not to try to spoilt a sensationalist Israeli story but his art scam has been going on all over the place for years and not necessarily carried out by actual Israelis. So these are either the worst spies ever or they are just pulling off the same scam they have been running all over the world for a decade. About 5 or 6 years ago someone tried to pull this on me in Dublin.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_student_scam

That is probably the most unconviincing link I have ever seen.

Try this one.
http://cryptome.org/dea-il-spy.htm

Brown Bomber

alastair wrote: »

Wow - for a moment there I though you might have found a new nationality and religion to obsess about, but no.

And the actual conspiracy here is the rip-off sale of tacky Chinese production line paintings at inflated prices to gullible Mormon housewives. The Zionist plot continues apace!

Clearly you are unable to differentiate between Zionism and Judaism. Maybe you could educate yourself on the subject rather than take the thread off topic.

meglome

Brown Bomber wrote: »

That is probably the most unconviincing link I have ever seen.

Try this one.
http://cryptome.org/dea-il-spy.htm

Well whether we like wikipedia or not that link does have citations for all the info.

Now if I get this right as far back as 2000 these Israeli 'spies' have been caught trying to get into DEA offices. But even though they have been foiled in their attempts and several people have been deported they are still using the exact same tactic to spy 11 years on. The one which doesn't work and is well known. Obviously Mosad really isn't as devious as you make them out BB.

As I said someone tried this on me several years ago in Dublin but i smelt a scam so didn't bite. It has been tried all over the world literally thousands of times so it doesn't strike me as unusual they might wander into some federal buildings too.

uprising2

meglome wrote: »

Not to try to spoilt a sensationalist Israeli story but his art scam has been going on all over the place for years and not necessarily carried out by actual Israelis. So these are either the worst spies ever or they are just pulling off the same scam they have been running all over the world for a decade. About 5 or 6 years ago someone tried to pull this on me in Dublin.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_student_scam

It's a scam alright, you just can't see it, posted by somebody before;)

The right's latest weapon: 'Zionist editing' on Wikipedia
The Yesha Council also announced a prize for the "Best Zionist Editor" - the person who over the next four years incorporates the most "Zionist" changes in the encyclopedia. That lucky encyclopedist will receive a trip in a hot-air balloon over Israel.
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/the-right-s-latest-weapon-zionist-editing-on-wikipedia-1.308667

Seem's they all want to win the hot air balloon ride.

First Ever: Zionist Wikipedia Editing Course
The strategy and goal of the course is to educate and enable an 'army' of editors of Wikipedia, giving them the professional skills to write and edit the online encyclopedia's content in a manner which defends and promotes Israel's image.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/news.aspx/139189


They are murdering scum who try hard to cover their tracks with dis-information and damn lies.

Regarding the spies, I can't help feel there is some sort of dis-info being spread in there somewhere. More likely a mossad/cia joint operation spying on the residents living around the proposed location, a little psy-op, reverse psychology.

Brown Bomber

Try to think about this. Think in terms of plausible deniability. Surely it stands to reason that if you are going to be running "art student" spies you can give yourself cover by setting up a front company with "employees" who actually have nothing to do with the espionage, are far removed from the espionage and carry out the tasks the spies are supposedly supposed to.

uprising2

alastair wrote: »

Wow - for a moment there I though you might have found a new nationality and religion to obsess about, but no.
!

What part of "Israeli "art student" spies are back!" made you think that?.

Did you have your eye's closed clicking the link, and saw Utah first??

meglome

uprising2 wrote: »

It's a scam alright, you just can't see it, posted by somebody before;)

The right's latest weapon: 'Zionist editing' on Wikipedia
The Yesha Council also announced a prize for the "Best Zionist Editor" - the person who over the next four years incorporates the most "Zionist" changes in the encyclopedia. That lucky encyclopedist will receive a trip in a hot-air balloon over Israel.
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/the-right-s-latest-weapon-zionist-editing-on-wikipedia-1.308667

Seem's they all want to win the hot air balloon ride.

First Ever: Zionist Wikipedia Editing Course
The strategy and goal of the course is to educate and enable an 'army' of editors of Wikipedia, giving them the professional skills to write and edit the online encyclopedia's content in a manner which defends and promotes Israel's image.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/news.aspx/139189

Right wing organisations being nationalistic shocker. Could happen in any country, though Israel put their foot in it more than most.

uprising2 wrote: »

They are murdering scum who try hard to cover their tracks with dis-information and damn lies.

So is that all Israelis or is it just all the Zionists? And does that mean all right wing and extremist groups from everywhere are murdering scum?

uprising2 wrote: »

Regarding the spies, I can't help feel there is some sort of dis-info being spread in there somewhere. More likely a mossad/cia joint operation spying on the residents living around the proposed location, a little psy-op, reverse psychology.

So they send some 'students' using a well known scam. Right.

Brown Bomber wrote: »

Try to think about this. Think in terms of plausible deniability. Surely it stands to reason that if you are going to be running "art student" spies you can give yourself cover by setting up a front company with "employees" who actually have nothing to do with the espionage, are far removed from the espionage and carry out the tasks the spies are supposedly supposed to.

This scam is well known all over the world. People have been deported for it starting 11 years ago. They would be found out immediately (and were in this case), is this the best that the great Mosad can do?

uprising2

meglome wrote: »

Right wing organisations being nationalistic shocker. Could happen in any country, though Israel put their foot in it more than most.



So is that all Israelis or is it just all the Zionists? And does that mean all right wing and extremist groups from everywhere are murdering scum?



So they send some 'students' using a well known scam. Right.



This scam is well known all over the world. People have been deported for it starting 11 years ago. They would be found out immediately (and were in this case), is this the best that the great Mosad can do?

So how many of these students did it say were deported??

Anybody no matter what Race, Creed or Colour who kills another innocent human being are dirty murdering scum, they exist everywhere, but we're talking about one group of them here, who represent a certain country, if you want to talk about murdering scum in dublin or elsewhere start a thread on it.

I dont think you got what I meant about mossad/cia, but I wont waste any time explaining it, you get it or you don't, you don't.

meglome

uprising2 wrote: »

So how many of these students did it say were deported??

Not sure but from BB link above for example

48. On March 31, 2001, I&NS Deportation Officer Michael L. Bush was assigned escort duties for the 13 Israelis arrested on March 26/27, 2001 in Irving, Texas. At that time, one of the Israelis (not identified in the report) stated that five individuals in Israel were responsible for recruiting Israeli nationals to come to the U.S. for the purpose of selling art door-to-door. The detainee identified "ITAY' who lives in California, (subsequently identified as Itay SIMON), as the direct link between the five persons in Israel, and the U.S. operation. The detainee stated that the Texas contact for the organization is "Michael", who lives in the Dallas area and drives a black Jeep. The detainee stated that Michael (CALMANOVIC), is subordinate in the art-vending scheme to Itay (SIMON).

uprising2 wrote: »

Anybody no matter what Race, Creed or Colour who kills another innocent human being are dirty murdering scum, they exist everywhere, but we're talking about one group of them here, who represent a certain country, if you want to talk about murdering scum in dublin or elsewhere start a thread on it.

So how many of these fake art students killed people?

uprising2 wrote: »

I dont think you got what I meant about mossad/cia, but I wont waste any time explaining it, you get it or you don't, you don't.

Nope i really didn't. It made no sense to me at all.

alastair

uprising2 wrote: »

What part of "Israeli "art student" spies are back!" made you think that?.

Did you have your eye's closed clicking the link, and saw Utah first??

Try hope over experience?

robtri

uprising2 wrote: »

Anybody no matter what Race, Creed or Colour who kills another innocent human being are dirty murdering scum, they exist everywhere, but we're talking about one group of them here, who represent a certain country, if you want to talk about murdering scum in dublin or elsewhere start a thread on it.

slighty off topis but by that logic.. all irish are mudering scum.....
war of independence... Irish soliders killing others

Paelstine then also must be murdering scum as well.... since their leadership have launched rockets and killed israelis....

the list for every country goes on and on...
would you agree?

Jeboa Safari

Mossad are surely far better than that and wouldn't need to send their spies around like that. They're one of the best intelligence agencies in the world, doubt they'd be that amateur

Brown Bomber

Jeboa Safari wrote: »

Mossad are surely far better than that and wouldn't need to send their spies around like that. They're one of the best intelligence agencies in the world, doubt they'd be that amateur

And the leaked DEA report fits into your thinking how exactly...?

Jeboa Safari

Brown Bomber wrote: »

And the leaked DEA report fits into your thinking how exactly...?

Like meglome said, if they tried it before and it didn't work, why would they do it again? And aswell, I'm sure you're no doubt aware that Israel uses fake passports, so why show Israeli passports and arouse suspicion?

Yitzhak Rabin

I mentioned this before, but I would also say, that they are operating here as well.

Back in 2007, I visited Israel with a friend I was living with (We're both army officers). We had an a great time, loved every minute of it, made a good few friends who I am still in contact with. Thought nothing more of it and came home.

A few months later, myself and my friend we're both living in the same apartment as we had started college that September. An Israeli dude, and girl called to the apartment selling art. We invited them in. Had a good chat with them about themselves, Ireland, Israel and everything in between. We actually bought a big painting of King David off them. Again, I thought nothing strange about it, as eastern European people had often called to my family home selling art, and I thought it was just what art students do to get by.

It was only then this year, when I read a similar thread to this that it clicked with me that there is a good chance they could have been spies;

Now, they didn't ask anything suspicious (although that said I wasn't listening for anything in particular, just thought we were chatting) and I suppose its quite possible that they were legit. But you have to wonder about the coincidences.

We were both military. I was actually Int officer in my battalion for a few months before I left. I am not int qualified, I was just filling the position. We had both been to Israel. We had met loads of people over there, and anyone who asked us what we did, we told them. So who knows what happened, maybe someone knew someone, who knew someone, and they decided to check us out.


The main thing that I'm disappointed with, was that it wasn't a honeytrap, because that Israeli chick was a fox!

Brown Bomber

yekahs wrote: »

I mentioned this before, but I would also say, that they are operating here as well.

Back in 2007, I visited Israel with a friend I was living with (We're both army officers). We had an a great time, loved every minute of it, made a good few friends who I am still in contact with. Thought nothing more of it and came home.

A few months later, myself and my friend we're both living in the same apartment as we had started college that September. An Israeli dude, and girl called to the apartment selling art. We invited them in. Had a good chat with them about themselves, Ireland, Israel and everything in between. We actually bought a big painting of King David off them. Again, I thought nothing strange about it, as eastern European people had often called to my family home selling art, and I thought it was just what art students do to get by.

It was only then this year, when I read a similar thread to this that it clicked with me that there is a good chance they could have been spies;

Now, they didn't ask anything suspicious (although that said I wasn't listening for anything in particular, just thought we were chatting) and I suppose its quite possible that they were legit. But you have to wonder about the coincidences.

We were both military. I was actually Int officer in my battalion for a few months before I left. I am not int qualified, I was just filling the position. We had both been to Israel. We had met loads of people over there, and anyone who asked us what we did, we told them. So who knows what happened, maybe someone knew someone, who knew someone, and they decided to check us out.


The main thing that I'm disappointed with, was that it wasn't a honeytrap, because that Israeli chick was a fox!

Very interesting story, thanks for sharing. You were lucky they liked you though - You could've ended up in this.

meglome

yekahs wrote: »

It was only then this year, when I read a similar thread to this that it clicked with me that there is a good chance they could have been spies;

Now, they didn't ask anything suspicious (although that said I wasn't listening for anything in particular, just thought we were chatting) and I suppose its quite possible that they were legit. But you have to wonder about the coincidences.

We were both military. I was actually Int officer in my battalion for a few months before I left. I am not int qualified, I was just filling the position. We had both been to Israel. We had met loads of people over there, and anyone who asked us what we did, we told them. So who knows what happened, maybe someone knew someone, who knew someone, and they decided to check us out.

The main thing that I'm disappointed with, was that it wasn't a honeytrap, because that Israeli chick was a fox!

Well I had the same thing happen to me where I was working in Dublin. So given the many thousands of places they have most likely visited over the 10-11 years of doing this it wouldn't be odd that some would be military or with people in the military. And they didn't ask you anything out of place as far as you remember.

Brown Bomber wrote: »

Very interesting story, thanks for sharing. You were lucky they liked you though - You could've ended up in this.

So are the Israelis responsible for putting that guy into the bag too?

joebucks

yekahs wrote: »

The main thing that I'm disappointed with, was that it wasn't a honeytrap, because that Israeli chick was a fox!

Ha same thing happened to me. Two Israeli 'art-student' chicks called around selling paintings. One was crazy hot and actin all tipsy. I thought I was gonna get some rhythm! She left with my wallet €75 lighter, never to be seen again

meglome

joebucks wrote: »

Ha same thing happened to me. Two Israeli 'art-student' chicks called around selling paintings. One was crazy hot and actin all tipsy. I thought I was gonna get some rhythm! She left with my wallet €75 lighter, never to be seen again

Us men thinking with our small lower brain

Yitzhak Rabin

Ah, so at least three people have encountered Israeli art students.

Its obviously not as rare an occurrence as I had imagined.

joebucks

yekahs wrote: »

Ah, so at least three people have encountered Israeli art students.

Its obviously not as rare an occurrence as I had imagined.

I'm kinda relieved as I thought I was the only one to fall for such a ruse!!

meglome

joebucks wrote: »

I'm kinda relieved as I thought I was the only one to fall for such a rouse!!

I didn't actually bite but I have to say they were very convincing.

joebucks

meglome wrote: »

I didn't actually bite but I have to say they were very convincing.

I tip my cap to you in that case.

uprising2

yekahs wrote: »

The main thing that I'm disappointed with, was that it wasn't a honeytrap, because that Israeli chick was a fox!

Stick this picture on your wall next time you might have more luck shakey.


'Sleeping With Enemy Is Kosher' For Spies
Rabbis in Israel say it is kosher for female spies to have sex with enemy agents in missions against terrorism.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20101006/twl-sleeping-with-enemy-is-kosher-for-sp-3fd0ae9_1.html