---
born: 1937
category: Intelligence & Government
died: 2002
location: Jaffa, British Mandate Palestine
summary: Palestinian terrorist and target of Israeli intelligence operations, connected
  to the Achille Lauro attack and arms trafficking networks.
tags:
- Person
- ArmsDealer
- Israel
---

[Abu Nidal](/people/abu-nidal/) was a Palestinian terrorist. He was a target of [Israeli](/places/israel/) intelligence operations. Arms dealers like [John Knight](/people/john-knight/) and [Sidem International Limited](/organizations/sidem-international-limited/) acquired arms from Yugoslavia and sold them to [Mohammed Radi Abdullah](/people/mohammed-radi-abdullah/), who in turn sold them to [Nidal](/people/abu-nidal/) and other Palestinian groups. [Radi](/people/mohammed-radi-abdullah/) was unaware of [Pearson's](/people/anthony-pearson/) [Israeli](/places/israel/) connection.[^1]

[Radi](/people/mohammed-radi-abdullah/) later presented his case to [Nidal](/people/abu-nidal/) in [Baghdad](/places/baghdad/), claiming he had been unwittingly used by [Pearson](/people/anthony-pearson/). [Nidal](/people/abu-nidal/) believed his story and put out the word that [Radi](/people/mohammed-radi-abdullah/) was "clean," placing the blame on [Yasser Arafat's](/people/yasser-arafat/) group.[^1]

[Nidal](/people/abu-nidal/) was also involved in the [Achille Lauro](/events/achille-lauro/) attack in 1985, which was an [Israeli](/places/israel/) "black" propaganda operation. [Rafi](/organizations/rafi/) passed instructions to [Radi](/people/mohammed-radi-abdullah/), who then relayed orders to [Abul Abbas](/people/abul-abbas/) to carry out a cruel attack. [Abbas](/people/abul-abbas/) was reportedly receiving millions from [Israeli](/places/israel/) intelligence officers posing as Sicilian dons.[^1]

[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.