KUALA LUMPUR: Foreign intelligence services like Israel's Mossad, will develop local assets to run covert operations in the country.
This tried-and-tested template used by these intelligence agencies was to minimise their exposure, if their operations are compromised.
International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation Assistant Professor Dr Ahmad El-Muhammady said it was not impossible for this to happen in Malaysia.
He attributed this to the heightened surveillance and intelligence on foreign agents, including the Mossad, following the high-profile assassination of Fadi Mohamed al-Batsh, 35, in 2018.
Al-Batsh was a Palestinian professor and a member of Hamas in Kuala Lumpur who was gunned down while on his way to a mosque.
"This is not new. They recruit locals when their normal modus operandi would compromise them."
Speaking to the New Straits Times about the recent kidnapping of a Palestinian computer expert here, Ahmad said if the Israelis had been in the chalet where the victim was taken, the Mossad operation in the country would have been heavily compromised.
"Their tradecraft would have been exposed… in this case, they can just wash their hands off the case," he said.
Ahmad cautioned nations that Israel had issues with, including Malaysia, to be vigilant.
"This is about national security and sovereignty.
"This kind of security breach cannot happen as it sends the wrong message.
"In fact, counter-espionage should be prioritised and beefed up, with specialised training for the stakeholders to prevent hostile elements from exploiting our vulnerabilities and using the country as their staging point.
"Another point to ponder. When you have these kinds of threats and targets, there will be collateral damage … both immediate and long-term."