Britain To Expel Israeli Diplomat Over Hamas Killing
Britain is reportedly planning to expel an Israeli diplomat over the issue of use of fake British passports by a group that was involved in the killing of a Hamas leader in Dubai.
According to CNN, the Israeli ambassador to the United Kingdom met with British Foreign Office officials and the decision was made. However, it is still unknown which diplomat has been expelled. Al Jazeera reports that British Foreign Secretary will disclose the news on Tuesday.
According to Al Jazeera's correspondent in London Alan Fisher, the move was a "sign of anger from the British at the way they believe intelligence services used UK passports."
He adds: “The British believe that the intelligence agencies knew about this and used the cloned passports. They're not suggesting that the Mossad or the military intelligence directorate were directly involved with the assassination, what they're angry about is the cloning of the passports which they believe put British citizens at risk."
Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, a founding member of the military wing of Hamas, was found dead on 20 January in a hotel room in Dubai. He is believed to have been allegedly killed by Mossad, Israeli secret agency.
CNN quotes two sources as saying that about 27 suspects were involved in the killing of al-Mabhouh. The authorities have said that 26 had European or Australian passports and they did not say anything about the 27th suspect.
The suspects are reported to have acquired cloned passports to facilitate travel to Dubai to carry out the execution of al-Mabhouh. However, Dubai Police Chief Lt. Gen. Dahi Khalfan Tamim has ruled out that all passports were fake, saying, "We know some of the names are real," he said.
The Interpol has issued "red notices" against the suspects. In a statement, Interpol Secretary General Ronald K. Noble has said that the investigators have set up "clear" links “through passport records, video surveillance, DNA analysis, witness interviews and hotel, credit card, phone and transport records.”
According to the police, toxicology reports reveal that al-Mabhouh had been injected with succinylcholine before being suffocated and that he had shown resistance as well.
CNN quotes Tamim as saying, "The medication left next to him (al-Mabhouh) in the room has nothing to do with the killing." The killers had reportedly left the medication beside him so that everybody would take it as a natural death. Tamin further says that he is "100 percent sure" that Mossad was behind the killing, adding, "The Mossad needs to be ashamed of its actions. They sent 26, 27 persons to assassinate one man who was involved in the capturing and killing of two Israeli soldiers."
