Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., June 22, 2008 Sivan 19, 5768 | | Israel Time: 10:19 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Peres Conference Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

The scene of the 1994 bombing of the Buenos Aires Jewish Center, one of the attacks for which Mughniyah was wanted by the U.S., Israel. (AP Archives) Last update - 13:06 13/02/2008 ANALYSIS: Imad Mughniyah - The epitome of the 'Axis of Evil' By Amir Oren, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Hezbollah, Iran  It there is, or rather if there was, a man who symbolized the very essence of the 'Axis of Evil,' his name was Imad Fayez Mughniyah. The link between Iran and Hezbollah, between the extreme Ayatollah ideology and the Lebanese Shiite movement is epitomized by Mughniyah. Titles such as Hezbollah "operations chief" or "deputy head" reflected very little of his actual activity. Mughniyah is at the top of the FBI most wanted list, surpassed only by Osama Bin Laden and the prize on his head is $5 million. If what the Arab press has rushed to announce is true, then that prize belongs to Meir Dagan and the Mossad. Advertisement Iran saw Mughniyah as a crucial asset. Along with the Iranian ambassador and the commander of the Revolution Guard Corps, Mugniyah served as the Iranian presence in Lebanon. All of the Iranian-planned terrorist attacks carried out by Hezbollah were masterminded by Mughniyah himself. The killing of top terror chiefs has been questioned in the past, since sometimes the successor is even worse. A classic example of this is the assassination of Abbas Musawi in 1992, only to be replaced by the chasrismatic Hassan Nasrallah. However, with Mughniyah this is not the case. It will take Iran and Hezbollah a great amount of time to find a worthy replacement. Whoever tracked Mughniyah down in Syria had excellent operational and intelligent abilities, something that was lacking in the Second Lebanon War. The Winograd panel wrote in its report that the wait for a special operation against Mughniyah or Nasrallah caused Israel to hesitate during the war. The operation sends a poignant message to Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah and will make them think twice about opening a second front if Israel is to enter Gaza in a major ground incursion. The successful operation also makes one wonder how Israel failed to track down abducted Israel Defense Forces soldiers Ron Arad, Gilad Shalit, Eldad Regev and Udi Goldwasser. The immediate question, however, is whether or not Hezbollah or Iran will respond to the assassination with terror attacks in the north or overseas. Following Musawi's assassination in 1992, Mughniyah responded with the attack on the Jewish center in Buenos Aires. Hezbollah terror chief killed in Damascus blast; Hezbollah blames Israel ANALYSIS: Hezbollah terror chief was more wanted than Nasrallah Bookmark to del.icio.us   Purchase price More consumers are letting their consciences do the shopping. Fighting fear N.Y. mayor urges Jewish voters to denounce Obama Muslim rumors.   1.   Hizbullah`s second in command in Syria, Imad Mughniyeh, was kille 13:00  |  Jean Van Daem 13/02/08   2.   The latest assault on terror. 13:25  |  sandra chitayat 13/02/08   3.   Will it make any practical difference at all to Hezbollah? 13:30  |  Clickfool 13/02/08   4.   EPITOME OF EVIL? 13:35  |  indrajaya 13/02/08   5.   israel will not enter Gaza on a ground invasion because it will 14:01  |  lakshmi 13/02/08   6.   we are told "fear not jacob o my servant" 14:09  |  dovik tamari 13/02/08   7.   indrajaya making threats? 14:27  |  michhell 13/02/08   8.   I Agree 14:38  |  JJ 13/02/08   9.   #2 Epitome of evil, indeed 14:38  |  Softwalker 13/02/08   10.   #2 Epitome of evil, indeed 14:41  |  Softwalker 13/02/08   11.   # 7, MICHELL 14:54  |  indrajaya 13/02/08   12.   Indrajaja 15:17  |  Dror 13/02/08   13.   Hey Natsi la la, we have some body parts to trade 15:20  |  La La 13/02/08   14.   indrajaya "tears will come after champagne" 15:23  |  tommy soekarno 13/02/08   15.   #7 INDRAJAYA 15:29  |  michhell 13/02/08   16.   Whoever did it, congratulations! Well-done! 15:39  |  Steven 13/02/08   17.   to clickdork 15:41  |  robert 13/02/08   18.   Hizbollah got the 25 million!!! 15:56  |  ralf 13/02/08   19.   Clickfool - Don`t point the finger at Israel...Someone 16:18  |  mk 13/02/08   20.   What worries me............................... 16:34  |  manny.b 13/02/08   21.   Chalking up `martyrs`.... 16:47  |  The Judge 13/02/08   22.   His demise comforts me 16:47  |  One victim`s sister 13/02/08   23.   Indrajaya for next "Epitome of Evil" 16:55  |  utagawa 13/02/08   24.   IDF terror 16:59  |  Nader 13/02/08   25.   manny (13), yes, they gave birth to something unknown to mankind 17:09  |  Karl 13/02/08   26.   Idrajahahahahahahaha! 17:14  |  The Good Guys 13/02/08   27.   Certainly He Had Enough Enemies at Home 17:24  |  Brian Freund 13/02/08   28.   It is the 3rd Anniversery of Rafiq Hariri Assassination 17:49  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 13/02/08   29.   Look at the scene: This is not terrorism? 18:08  |  America 13/02/08   30.   Now it is the INDRARAT of Jakarta`s turn, way to go Mossad! 18:09  |  Genuine Tosefta 13/02/08   31.   #3 Clickfool 18:25  |  Sarah 13/02/08   32.   Indrajaya 18:26  |  Sarah 13/02/08   33.   Indrayoyo (#11) - you got it wrong 19:37  |  Rory 13/02/08   34.   #3 clickstool 19:38  |  Rory 13/02/08   35.   manny.b 20:04  |  Reporter 13/02/08   36.   Mugniyah, 1 of 6 20:15  |  Cristina 13/02/08   37.   The Next Imad 20:20  |  JJ 13/02/08   38.   where are the proofs that he is dead? 20:41  |  mb 13/02/08   39.   HELP 21:00  |  Daniell 13/02/08   40.   To those who jubilate at this assasination 22:30  |  Kris 13/02/08   41.   answer to 24 23:50  |  LJAC 13/02/08   42.   locci! 02:28  |  Paul 14/02/08   43.   Martyr ? Who`s next in line ? 03:05  |  John Fellows 14/02/08   44.   Mugniyah no match for US and Israel 04:58  |  Devin Leonard 14/02/08   45.   #39 God only helps those who help themselves 06:51  |  anti-terrorist 14/02/08   46.   muslims will be erased from earth god willing 06:57  |  dano 17/02/08

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