Qatar-Linked Operation Hits ICC Prosecutor’s Accuser

By Staff, Agencies

The woman who has accused the prosecutor of the international criminal court of sexual abuse has been targeted by private intelligence firms as part of a covert operation said to have taken place on behalf of Qatar.

The Guardian can reveal details of the intrusive operation, which has obtained sensitive information about the woman, who works at the ICC, and her family members.

According to leaked files seen by the Guardian and people familiar with the operation, a Qatar-linked intelligence operation sought personal details, including passport information and data about a child, to discredit a woman accusing ICC prosecutor Karim Khan of abuse.

Khan, a prominent British lawyer, denies the claims, which his associates allege are part of an "Israel"-backed smear following his 2024 arrest warrant for Netanyahu.

The London-based firm Highgate, a “strategic advisory” company, led a private intelligence operation—commissioned by a top Qatari diplomatic unit—working with at least one other firm to link the woman to "Israel", though documents seen by the Guardian indicate no such evidence was found.

Khan’s alleged victim told the Guardian she was “appalled” by the operation, calling it “incomprehensible and heartbreaking” that private intelligence firms targeted her.

Highgate told the Guardian it worked on an ICC-related operation but had not “acted against any individual” and denied being paid or commissioned by the Qatari government.

The Qatari unit’s alleged role in the spy operation, which reportedly targeted other ICC officials, adds a new twist to the ongoing crisis surrounding the prosecutor.

Khan’s decision to seek warrants for Netanyahu and his former war minister Yoav Gallant for alleged crimes in Gaza has made him and the court a target for the US and "Israel".

The abuse allegations have complicated ICC prosecutor Karim Khan’s tenure, leading him to step aside for a UN inquiry; while no evidence links him to the spy operation, Highgate met his representatives, raising questions.

ICC prosecutor Karim Khan’s tenure plunged into turmoil after a staffer in her 30s accused him of coercive sexual behavior and abuse of authority at work, during trips, and at his home.

A UN inquiry is investigating the staffer’s claims, along with a second woman’s allegations, while Khan’s lawyers deny misconduct and call it a campaign to discredit him.

The Guardian found no evidence that the ICC staffer’s allegations were part of a plot, despite attempts by pro-"Israeli" actors to leak information.

The private intelligence operation that has targeted the woman at the centre of the UN inquiry is said to have commenced earlier this year, when Highgate was commissioned by Qataris.

Evidence shows only a few senior Highgate staff knew the Qatari unit was the client, with funding treated as highly sensitive and referred to as “Q country.”

A Guardian-seen document shows Highgate sought links between the alleged victim, her family, and "Israel". Highgate hired Elicius Intelligence to gather information on the woman, her family, and other ICC officials.

Documents show Elicius provided Highgate with sensitive personal and financial details and at one point sought the woman’s child’s birth certificate. Highgate obtained the woman’s passport, travel history, and online account passwords, reportedly from dark web data.

Highgate called claims it sought information about the woman’s child “inaccurate” and disputed other descriptions of data obtained, saying it “led an independent assessment into potential covert or improper activities that may have sought to undermine the credibility, independence, or efficiency of the ICC.”

It did not deny meeting Khan’s representatives, calling the details “private, commercially sensitive and confidential.

In a statement to the Guardian, Khan’s lawyers did not dispute such a meeting took place.

However, they said his representatives had “no knowledge of, let alone involvement in, the alleged activities” of the private intelligence firms. Khan’s lawyers added that he had not been provided with any “information” about its activities.

Elicius Intelligence declined to comment. The government of Qatar did not respond to a request for comment.

Khan’s alleged victim, who has been waiting for almost a year for the UN inquiry to reach its conclusions, and has found herself at the centre of a major geopolitical fallout at the ICC, expressed frustration at the situation.

“Where does this end and how much will be allowed? If this is what international justice looks like, it is not the system that I have dedicated my life to serving.” She added: “I have always done my work quietly and under the radar. I came to serve, not to be seen.”