Report: ICC Prosecutor Targeted in Covert Operation Linked to “Israel” and Qatar

By Staff, Agencies

A new investigation has revealed that private British intelligence firms conducted a covert operation to gather sensitive information about the woman who accused Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court [ICC], of sexual misconduct.

The Guardian reported that the operation was initiated on behalf of the Qatari government and involved two British intelligence firms, including one that sought personal data such as the woman’s passport details and information about her child.

Khan, a prominent British lawyer, has denied the allegations, with associates suggesting the claims were part of a smear campaign orchestrated by “Israel” following his decision to pursue arrest warrants for “Israeli” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former war minister Yoav Gallant. In May 2024, Khan formally requested arrest warrants for both officials on charges of crimes against humanity, including the deliberate starvation of civilians. Six months later, the ICC issued the warrants.

According to The Guardian, an “Israeli”-linked lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman—currently representing former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte—threatened Khan during a private meeting in The Hague on May 1, 2024. Kaufman warned that unless Khan withdrew the warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, he and the ICC would be “destroyed.” The threat fits a broader pattern of political pressure and intimidation aimed at shielding “Israel” from accountability for war crimes.

These developments come amid a wave of Western retaliation against the ICC. In February, the US imposed sanctions on Khan, revoked his visa and froze his assets, while also barring his family from entering the country. In June, four ICC judges who approved the warrants were likewise sanctioned by Washington.

The covert intelligence operation was reportedly led by Highgate, a discreet London-based strategic advisory firm known for working with political and corporate elites. Highgate allegedly collaborated with another firm, Elicius Intelligence, to probe possible links between the woman and “Israeli” interests. Sources told The Guardian that the mission was approved by a high-level diplomatic unit within the Qatari state.

Documents indicate that Highgate sought extensive personal data about the woman and her relatives, including information on her background, personal relationships, and professional contacts. Multiple intelligence reports were compiled, raising serious ethical and legal concerns over the methods used. Highgate confirmed involvement in a project related to the ICC but denied targeting individuals or acting on behalf of Qatar.

The woman, an ICC lawyer herself, described her distress upon learning of the surveillance: “The idea that private intelligence firms have been instructed to target me is as incomprehensible as it is heartbreaking,” she said. She continues to await the outcome of a UN inquiry into the misconduct allegations against Khan, which have already led to a second accuser coming forward—an unpaid intern who claims mistreatment during her time under his supervision.

Khan has categorically rejected all accusations, insisting they are part of a coordinated effort to undermine his credibility and derail the ICC’s pursuit of justice, particularly its investigations into “Israeli” war crimes in Gaza. The scandal has plunged the ICC into a deep geopolitical crisis, exposing the court to unprecedented political interference and questions about the integrity of international justice. As the accuser lamented, “If this is what international justice looks like, it is not the system that I have dedicated my life to serving.”