From the Heart of Iraq to Beirut… The Story of a Security Pursuit That Ended with the Uncovering of a Secret Communications Network

New information in the case of detainee Fouad Abdelkarim Khalifa, accused of collaborating with Israeli intelligence, has revealed details about how he was identified and arrested, amid ongoing security and judicial investigations to determine the nature of the tasks assigned to him and the extent of the information he transmitted.

According to information reported by Al-Modon newspaper from a judicial source, Khalifa’s arrest was not the result of chance, but came after the convergence of security and intelligence information stretching from Iraq to Lebanon, after the detainee committed what was described as a “technical error” that led to the exposure of his communication channels with Israeli entities.

The information indicated that Khalifa had been operating with broad latitude, benefiting from the nature of his work at an Iraqi company, his frequent stays in Iraq, and his marriage to an Iraqi woman, all of which provided him with cover to move about بعيداً from direct surveillance.

According to the source, the tasks attributed to him included attempts to get close to family circles linked to Hezbollah leaders, in addition to monitoring specific individuals and tracking movements and locations connected to the party’s organizational and health infrastructure, including Al-Rasoul Al-Aazam Hospital in Beirut’s southern suburbs.

The information added that investigations showed his handlers had asked him to use dedicated devices for communication and data transfer in order to avoid leaving any digital traces. However, he used a computer belonging to his workplace in Iraq, which led to suspicious electronic signals being detected and ultimately raised suspicions about him.

According to the source, information from Iraqi security agencies helped uncover the case before intersecting with monitoring carried out by the Information Branch of the Internal Security Forces of Khalifa’s movements and communications, leading to his arrest as he was attempting to leave Lebanon for Iraq, based on an order from the competent judiciary.

Investigations are still ongoing under the supervision of the military judiciary, with the aim of determining the volume of information that was collected or transmitted, and whether it was linked to any security operations or attacks carried out by Israel in previous stages.