Chabad Shaliach In UAE Feared Abducted Or Murdered By Iranian Agents

Rav Tzvi Kogan, a Chabad shaliach in the Emirati city of Abu Dhabi, has been missing for several days and Israeli security officials fear he was abducted or murdered, chalilah.

Kogan, who serves as an assistant to the Chief Rabbi of the UAE, Rav Levi Duchmanm and manages the kosher supermarket in Abu Dhabi, has not been in touch with his wife since Wednesday. He missed scheduled meetings that day and after his wife failed to reach him by phone, she called the Chabad House’s security officer who contacted the security authorities.

The Mossad is involved in the case and they believe that Rav Kogan may have been under surveillance by hostile terrorist elements on behalf of Iran. He disappeared from a location about an hour and a half from Dubai.

Israeli security sources told Ynet that “we know they were following him in the kosher supermarket he managed in Abu Dhabi. This week Kogan and Duchman were in Israel. On Tuesday, they met with the new Israeli ambassador to the UAE Yossi Shelley at the Prime Minister’s Office and returned to the Emirates on Wednesday. After that, he disappeared. We understand that those responsible fled to Turkey. His body has not been found.”

Kan News reported on Motzei Shabbos that according to Emirati police, three Uzbek citizens followed Kogan and abducted him on Thursday afternoon and fled to Turkey. Channel 12 News reported that Israeli intelligence officials believe he was murdered. Other reports said he [or his body] was whisked out of the UAE to Iran via Oman.

Israeli intelligence officials have traveled to the Emirates to investigate the case together with Emirati authorities, who are leading the investigation. The UAE is one of the most heavily surveilled countries in the world and security cameras are everyone.

i24NEWS reported that Israeli security are furious with their Emirati counterparts as several complaints were filed about Kogan’s disappearance with the Dubai and Abu Dhabi police on Thursday but they failed to act. In fact, they only began taking action after the intervention of Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar.

The Prime Minister’s Office stated on behalf of the Mossad: “Tzvi Kogan, an Israeli-Moldovan citizen and Chabad shaliach residing in the UAE, has been missing since Thursday afternoon. Since his disappearance, amid information suggesting it is a terrorist incident, an intensive investigation has been launched in the country. Israeli intelligence and security agencies are working tirelessly out of concern for his safety and well-being.”

“It should be noted that the National Security Council has long issued a travel warning at level 3 (medium threat) for the UAE and recommended avoiding non-essential travel to the destination, as well as taking increased precautions for those staying there.”

An Israeli who lives in Abu Dhabi told i24 News: “He and his wife are very involved in the community. They organize events, Friday nights, dinners. Really quiet and nice people. It’s shocking that something like this could happen in such a secure place. There are cameras everywhere here. It probably happened elsewhere.”

Another Israeli said: “His family is devastated and the Israeli and Jewish kehilla is in shock.”