In the interview with Berliner Zeitung, Seymour Hersh basically reproduces the main lines mentioned in his report on the attack, but delves into different areas. It confirms that Joe Bidene, President of the United States, had planned the attack before Russia invaded Ukraine, and that, after the outbreak of the war, he had not reinforced his intention on the other hand, because he feared that Germany would do enough for Ukraine if it should use the Nord Stream gas pipeline to protect its citizens from a cold winter.

Details of a key meeting

It refers to the meeting held in a building annexed to the White House shortly before Christmas 2021 to process the operation and refers to the White House offering a series of details about the meeting that contained the right information: “They met in a very secret office. Next to the White House is an office building, the Executive Office Building, which connects with the White House through an underground tunnel. At the top of this building is an office of the Lehendakari Intelligence Advisory Council. That meeting was convened to discuss what we would do if Russia were to go to war.”

According to Hersh, at that meeting convened by the National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan participated at least the following organizations: “CIA, National Security Agency, State Department, Treasury Department that provides money, Unified Staff, and surely others … I do not want to give more details, because I have to protect my source. I don't know how many people participated. Do you know what I mean?”

And why should those who knew it communicate the operation? According to Hersh, those who intervened in the operation comply with what was promised by the lehendakari and it was over, but many did not find it appropriate because it “punishes German citizens”. For many, Hersh states that the attack was insane: “Shortly after the offensive, after the order, caused a great anger and rejection of those involved. That is why I have known so many things. This community was upset because Biden decided that Europe would be cold enough to force it to support a war that will not be won. Even oil pipeline companies know the story. They didn’t tell me, but I soon realized they knew him.”

It also recommends to parties represented in the German Parliament. “If I were in the chair of a Parliamentary Committee, I would like to ask Schholz [German Chancellor]: did Joe Biden tell you about this? Did he tell you why he was so sure he could destroy the pipeline?”

Work of two divers

Hersh also talks about the operation in the interview. Two divers trained in the Panama City of Florida went down to the place chosen by the Norwegians during the annual NATO manoeuvres in the Baltic Sea. Divers could descend up to 100 meters without heavy equipment, choosing a space that did not have a depth of 80 meters. Between the pipeline lines there were 1.6 kilometers, two divers went down to place the explosives and spent two hours in the task. Explosives were placed to re-explode shortly, but as Biden eventually decided to extend the explosion for three months, only six of the eight explosives exploded.

Many have said that research is not serious, because it is based on a single source and anonymous. Hersh responds firmly: “But how am I going to talk about my source? I've written many articles based on anonymous sources. If I mentioned someone, they would throw him out of work, or worse, they would imprison him. The law is very strict. I have never endangered anyone and, as I have done in this article, when I write I mean that it is a source. Over the years the accounts I have written have always been approved.”

And the writer and journalist Scheidler also asks the importance of daring in journalism: "Why is it brave to tell the truth? Our job is not to be afraid. And sometimes it gets ugly. (...) But threats are not aimed at people like me, but at children of people like us. I've lived through very terrifying things. But it doesn't care, it can't. You do what you have to do.”