A man sent to spy on muslims instead converts to Islam

[Ceelgabo]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld ... -headlines


Swiss Spy in a War of Words


An ex-informant who became a Muslim says his handlers wanted him to frame an Islamic scholar. Officials say he's on a personal vendetta.
By Sebastian Rotella, Times Staff Writer
May 22, 2006


GENEVA — Along with banks and chocolates, this placid lakefront city has another claim to fame: It is full of spies.

Claude Covassi, a broad-shouldered, gray-eyed martial arts expert, was one of them. He became an informant for Swiss intelligence in early 2004, converted to Islam and infiltrated fundamentalist circles here in his hometown. He followed the trail of holy warriors all the way to mosques in Syria where aspiring foreign "martyrs" are groomed for Iraq.


But in February, the secret agent went explosively public. He revealed his mission to its prime target, a Muslim scholar here who has been periodically accused of extremism, and gave newspaper interviews accusing his handlers of trying to frame the cleric. Since then, Covassi has unleashed everything from confidential documents to details of clandestine operations.

The former spy insists that he abandoned his masquerade because he found faith.

"It is not great speeches that convinced me but the force of prayer and understanding of the Koran," Covassi, 36, said in a recent interview by e-mail from his refuge in Egypt. "Islam transformed my existence."

But Swiss anti-terrorism officials reject his allegations and accuse him of a personal vendetta. It's unclear who was manipulating whom.

Covassi's story gives a rare street-level view of the fight against Islamic extremism. All across Europe's Muslim communities, security forces conduct aggressive surveillance of mosques, prayer halls, bookstores, butcher shops, Internet cafes and other outposts where legal fundamentalist activity converges with terrorism.

The case of the turncoat informant also reveals the risks involved for spy agencies — and for a scruffy legion of secret soldiers on the front lines.

Covassi alleges that he was a pawn in a turf war between domestic and foreign services in Switzerland that resembles the conflicts among anti-terrorism agencies in other countries.

"I think the situation would not have degenerated so seriously if our different intelligence services collaborated even a little," he said. "In reality, I have been able to observe that they are in continual rivalry, trying even to damage each other."

His war of words has shaken the anti-terrorism forces of a small country with a surprisingly active militant underworld. Questions abound about Covassi's motivations. Is he retaliating over money or a grudge? Is he in league with extremists? Adding to the uncertainty about his credibility, a court last month sentenced him in absentia to eight months in prison for dealing anabolic steroids while he taught Thai boxing at a gym in 2002.

Some officials believe he's trying to pressure the government to avoid the prison term.

"Sometimes you use a source and it goes wrong," said a Swiss security official, who asked to remain anonymous. "How much of what he says is rubbish to help him get out of the criminal case, I don't know."

The Los Angeles Times confirmed essential parts of Covassi's story in interviews with Swiss legislative and security officials, European anti-terrorism agents and others involved in or familiar with the events. And Covassi supports his account by providing names and phone numbers of his handlers and confidential e-mail exchanges with agents.

The intelligence oversight committee of the Swiss congress is investigating the case. But doubts persist, especially regarding Covassi's allegation that spymasters plotted to smear the controversial Islamic scholar Hani Ramadan by linking him to Iraq-bound militants. Ramadan's brother, Tariq, is an internationally known Islamic intellectual.

Without commenting on specifics, Federal Police Chief Jean-Luc Vez said he knew of no wrongdoing.

"The [domestic intelligence service] respects the law," Vez said. "We do not know of a case in which they can be blamed for illegal activity."

But Vez said the Ramadans' history and high profile made them legitimate subjects for scrutiny. "Their writings are sometimes ambiguous," he said. "It is quite normal that they would get particular attention."

Hani Ramadan says he might sue the government, but will await the result of the legislative inquiry. He has declined to comment further.

"As I have always said, the Islamic Center of Geneva has nothing to hide," Ramadan said in a prepared statement. "The two years of secret investigations by an agent Â… indeed prove that, because they have not resulted in any official investigation or sanction."

[Gedo_Boy]

There is still hope for Galol, SomaliLight, MAD MAC, avowedly-agnostic, and maybe even dhuusa_dheer.

[Ceelgabo]

[quote="Gedo_Boy"]There is still hope for Galol, SomaliLight, MAD MAC, avowedly-agnostic, and maybe even dhuusa_dheer.[/quote]


Anyone can be saved even these pathetic lowlife human beings...

[dhuusa_deer]

[quote="Gedo_Boy"]There is still hope for Galol, SomaliLight, MAD MAC, avowedly-agnostic, and maybe even dhuusa_dheer.[/quote]

Hope is futile exercise and anything is possible. But what's the probability that we'd re-embrace Islam? For me, 0.00000000000000000000000000001%.

[Qaarxiye]

gedoboy, you should not put somalilight in the same group as those others. she is good girl. i believe she is going to a phase. insha allah she will come around. as for the others, there really is no hope, especially for mad mac and dhuusadheerto.

[Ceelgabo]

[quote="dhuusa_deer"][quote="Gedo_Boy"]There is still hope for Galol, SomaliLight, MAD MAC, avowedly-agnostic, and maybe even dhuusa_dheer.[/quote]

Hope is futile exercise and anything is possible. But what's the probability that we'd re-embrace Islam? For me, 0.00000000000000000000000000001%.[/quote]

Allah(SWT) if he will could guide lowlife khanis like you to the right path....

[mahamed99_sex]

hey if they choose not wanna be muslim oh well.let them believe watever.

[dhuusa_deer]

[quote="Ceelgabo"][quote="dhuusa_deer"][quote="Gedo_Boy"]There is still hope for Galol, SomaliLight, MAD MAC, avowedly-agnostic, and maybe even dhuusa_dheer.[/quote]

Hope is futile exercise and anything is possible. But what's the probability that we'd re-embrace Islam? For me, 0.00000000000000000000000000001%.[/quote]

Allah(SWT) if he will could guide lowlife khanis like you to the right path....[/quote]


What is Allah waiting for then?


Better weather?

[Caana-Nuug]

There is a hadith that says that the light of Islam wil shift to the West, meaning more Muslims will come from the West rather than from native Muslim countries in the East, I guess that hadith might be fullfilled now.

[Steeler [Crawler2]]

Dhusa
The odds for me are not quite that high.

[eyes-only]

MaashaÂ’Allah

Allah guides whomever he wants. There are actually many westerners reverting to Islam. Mostly students and scholars and they have more Imaan and practice the religion better than those born into it.

I donÂ’t think any of us can do anything to guide infidels such as the ones present in this thread. TheyÂ’d have to have the capacity to contemplate and reflect to be able to get the message of Islam.

[Basra-]

Please....



Once a spy-always a spy!

[Steeler [Crawler2]]

eyes
This is the typical arrogance from Muslims who fail to effectively make their point. They then start disparaging those who "don't see the light." They are now too ignorant, under the influence of Shaytan, etc. etc. etc. Muslims just can not accept the fact that some people will read their books and not embrace them as the word of God. In their hearts, Muslims are close minded.

[LionHeart-112]

I don't think there is hope for Galol, Mad mac or DD as they refure to see the truth. Perhaps, that man was honest and sincere in his quest ot understand Islam. He was not just doing his job.

[Steeler [Crawler2]]

See. Lionhearts post would be an example of what I am saying. It's as if Muslims need to see non-Muslims in a negative light in order for the world to be OK.