By: Hana Kotb
The movie “The Angel” will be released September 14 on Netflix. It’s based on the true story about Ashraf Marwan, the son-in-law of former Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, Mona’s husband. He was also the special adviser and confident of Anwar El Sadat, who was the president at the time. He was also Israeli Intelligence’s most important asset. The movie is based on the bestselling book, “The Angel: The Egyptian Spy Who Saved Israel” by Uri Bar-Joseph.
Whether this story is true or not, we don’t know, but we definitely can’t wait to watch the movie to understand the Israeli side of the story.
Zvi Zamir, the Mossad Chief who was one of Marwan’s handlers, describes him as “the best source we have ever had.” Simon Parkin, a British journalist who investigated the case, regards him as the “20th century’s greatest spy.” Others claim that Marwan was a “double-spy” who worked for Sadat and deceived the Israelis.
Marwan died on 27 June 2007 outside his flat in London. He fell from the balcony of his fifth-floor apartment. News reports indicate that the Metropolitan Police Service increasingly believe Marwan was murdered, a belief also held by Marwan’s eldest son, Gamal. Marwan’s funeral in Egypt was led by Egypt’s highest-ranked religious leader, Mohamed Tantawi, and attended by, amongst others, Gamal Mubarak and Omar Suleiman. According to President Mubarak, “Marwan carried out patriotic acts which it is not yet time to reveal.”
Marwan is the fourth Egyptian of note to die in London in a similar manner. The others, all of whom were involved in Egyptian politics between 1966 and 1971, are actress Suad Hosni; Egyptian ambassador to Greece Al-Leithy Nassif;and Ali Shafeek, secretary in the office of former Egyptian Vice President Abdel Hakim Amer.
So which do you think he is: a spy for Israel or a double-spy?