MIDDLE EAST: British Israelis in shock over stolen identities in Dubai assasination

Record ID: 792184

  • Title: MIDDLE EAST: British Israelis in shock over stolen identities in Dubai assasination
  • Date: 18th February 2010
  • Summary: STREETS AND ALLEYWAYS
  • Embargoed: 5th March 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAC15TIE5PJRNT9PAR4KBZN5SS7
  • Story Text: Israeli media on Wednesday (February 17) continued its extensive cover of the use of foreign-born Israelis' identities by a hit squad suspected of killing senior Hamas militant, Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai.
    Men with the same names as seven of the 11 suspects whose European passport photos were distributed by Dubai police live in Israel, and those reached by reporters insisted their identities had been stolen and noted the pictures were not a match.
    Six of the men are Britons who immigrated to Israel. The seventh is an American-Israeli, whose name Dubai said was on a German passport used by one of the assassins.
    "I was simply shocked and since I don't know what's happening. I'm in shock. I don't know how they reached me or how...those are of course not my pictures, I don't know how they got my details, who took them. I haven't left the country, I think, for two years and I've never been to Dubai ever. I don't know who's behind this I am just scared, these are major forces," British Israeli Stephen Hodes told Israel's Channel Two Television Network in a telephone conversation.
    Doctor Jonathan Rynhold, an expert in Israeli-UK relations, said the incident could ignite retalitory action by Hamas but that the men should not fear possible arrest on entering Britain.
    "The British government is already aware that the individuals who were cited by the Dubai government were not actually involved in the action in Dubai and therefore they should not fear anything in terms of entering Britain or arrests in Britain. However these people are more concerned that they might be subject of retaliatory actions by Hamas and other extremist groups," he told Reuters Television.
    Paul Keeley, another British Israeli whose identity was allegedly stolen, was also shocked to see his name associated with the hit on al-Mabhouh.
    "I am in shock from this day. I cannot believe what I even see. I have to check with the British consul what is going on here, because my passport is here, I'm here," he told Channel Two.
    In an interview with Israeli radio, Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman said the use of Israeli identities did not prove the Mossad spy agency assassinated al-Mabhouh. But Lieberman did not deny outright Israeli involvement in the killing of the senior Hamas's commander in a Dubai hotel last month, saying Israel has a "policy of ambiguity" on intelligence matters and there was no proof it was behind the assassination.
    Some Israeli commentators on intelligence matters suggested the Mossad may have blundered -- if it carried out the attack and had hoped to keep its involvement secret -- by using the identities of people who could be traced back to Israel.
    The Palestinian militant group Hamas has blamed Israel for the assassination, and Dubai police say they cannot rule out Israeli involvement.
    Hamas official Ayman Taha said the fact that European governments confirmed the identities of the alleged hit squad were fake proves Mossad was responsible for the incident.
    "The Israeli Mossad is behind this assassination especially after France, Britain, Ireland and Germany freed themselves from any association with the names," said Taha.
    "The Zionist enemy has started with this game and should pay the price," Taha added.
    Mabhouh's brother, Fayeq al-Mabhouh, said the family immediately suspected Mossad had carried out the assasination.
    "We were sure from the first moment that it was an assassination and who carried this out was not just one person or two, but a group that were trained and that belong to a Western security agency or an Israeli one. We confirm that they belong to the Israeli Mossad agency," he said from the family home in Gaza's Jabalya area.
    A security source in Israel said the target, Mabhouh, played a key role in smuggling Iranian-funded arms to Islamist militants in the Gaza Strip. Hamas confirmed the information.
    Dubai said it issued international arrest warrants for all suspects, who also include Irish and French passport holders. A government source said six other people, not yet identified, were also believed to be involved.
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