---
category: Intelligence & Government
summary: Asmar was killed in a bomb explosion at his office in east Beirut on May
  26, 1988.
tags:
- Person
- DIA
---

[Werner Tony Asmar](/people/werner-tony-asmar/) was a German Lebanese intelligence agent who worked with the [DIA](/organizations/defense-intelligence-agency/). He was one of five key members of the MC-10 cell in [Cyprus](/places/cyprus/) and Beirut. Asmar became aware of the alleged "non-controlled" loads of heroin being shipped back to the [United States](/places/united-states/) by [Michael T. Hurley](/people/michael-t-hurley/) and the [DEA](/organizations/dea/) operation. He reportedly went "toe to toe" with Hurley over this issue.[^1]

Asmar was killed in a bomb explosion at his office in east Beirut on May 26, 1988. His death was attributed to terrorists, but [Michael Riconosciuto](/people/michael-riconosciuto/) claimed that Asmar's cover was "deliberately blown." When Asmar was killed, the [DIA](/organizations/defense-intelligence-agency/) ordered [Lester Coleman](/people/lester-coleman/) home.[^1]

[^1]: Seymour, Cheri. *The Last Circle: Danny Casolaro’s Investigation into the Octopus and the PROMIS Software Scandal*. First Edition. TrineDay, 2010.