Who Killed Ashraf Marwan?

I have another mystery to attempt to unravel with the playing cards! I love exploring mysteries with the cards.

I saw a fascinating movie last night on Netflix about the spy, Ashraf Marwan. The movie is called The Angel. Marwan was an Egyptian national, who apparently spied for both Egypt and Israel during their October conflict in 1973. The Israels herald him as a national hero, and believe he betrayed Egypt and saved Israel. Egypt insists that Marwan was a double agent whose loyalties were always with Egypt.

Marwan was known by Israeli Intelligence as The Angel, and his true identity was unmasked by an historian in 2002. In 2007 Marwan was killed in a fall from the balcony of his high-rise apartment in London. The official cause of death is "unknown," since it is unlikely he committed suicide. The body was found a good distance from the building suggesting that the spy had been propelled from the balcony. There was a witness who caught sight of Marwan as he was already plunging to the ground. The witness also noticed two Middle-Eastern men in the shadows of Marwan's balcony.

Egypt claims that Marwan was murdered by Israeli Intelligence, the Mossad. Israel is convinced that the spy was murdered by Egyptian Intelligence Services. So who killed Ashraf Marwan? Let's see what the playing cards have to say.

Question: Who Killed Ashraf Marwan?

A♥ + 4♣ + 5♠ + 8♦ + J♥ + 2♥ + 8♠

I asked "who," so I expect the cards to identify someone. I have a tendency to want to read details of the killing in these cards, but have to remind myself to remain focused on the actual question of identifying the culprit.

I was surprised by the reading. I approached it already convinced that Marwan was killed by the Mossad. Apparently he was in the process of writing his memoirs, which disappeared after his death.  If he had admitted to being a double agent, it would have been embarrassing for Israel. But the cards showed me a different story.

I drew the traditional Neapolitan 7-card Settenaria spread as taught by Renee Cafiero in his book La Settenaria Sciolta. This is my favorite spread for answering questions that do not require a yes-or-no response.

For me, the reading falls on the first three cards. They show someone who has left (5♠) the homeland (A♥ + 4♣). Since the reading is about Marwan, I take that to mean Egypt. This idea is confirmed for me by the middle trio which shows the killer was a younger man (J♥) who was related (8♦) in some way to Marwan, and was probably known by him. Not that this man was family necessarily, but that he was the same nationality (the Heart confirms an affinity). The last three cards suggest to me that there were two men (2♥) involved in the killing. That confirms what the witness said he saw.

The Pillars of the Settenaria-- the first, middle, and final cards-- can be read as a trio. In this case these cards provide a shorthand answer to the question. The middle card usually carries the most weight. It reveals a relative to Marwan. The first card shows that it is someone from back home. And the final card shows that this person caused Marwan harm.

Egypt gave Marwan a hero's military funeral belying any suspicion that he betrayed his country. On the other hand, Egypt has refused to release any official evidence proving that Marwan was a double agent. Maybe there is none. Perhaps they were secretly convinced that Marwan betrayed Egypt, and they had him assassinated in retaliation.