Betrokkenheid Mossad bij moord Dubai nu bevestigd?

[Cees Binkhorst]

REPLY TO: D66 at nic.surfnet.nl

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/23/uk-expel-israeli-diplomat-passport
UK to expel Israeli diplomat over British passport abuse

Expulsion follows use of 12 fake passports by suspected Israeli agents
during killing of Hamas leader in Dubai

Britain is to expel an Israeli diplomat over the use of forged UK
passports by the killers of a senior Hamas official in January.

The foreign secretary, David Miliband, will make a statement to the
House of Commons this afternoon, blaming Israeli intelligence for the
cloning of passports belonging to British citizens. The documents were
carried by an assassination team that killed Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in a
Dubai hotel.

British officials said Miliband would "request" the immediate departure
of an Israeli diplomat. They said they "expect the request will be
honoured".

"We think they mucked around with our passports, and we believe that
requires consequences," an official said.

Miliband will announce the results of an investigation by the Serious
Organised Crime Agency (Soca) into the abuse of British passports in the
assassination, which will implicate Israel.

Diplomats stressed that his remarks would be confined to the issue of
passports and would not address Mabhouh's murder: "That is for the
Emirati authorities," an official said.

But the statement will be widely seen around the world as the first
definitive allegation of Israel responsibility for the murder from a
western government.

The expelled official is not being accused of direct personal
involvement, officials said. The unusual step is intended as a gesture
to reflect British anger.

In 1986, a Mossad agent left an Israeli embassy envelope containing
eight forged British passports in a German telephone box. Israeli
diplomats were only expelled a year later after a Palestinian working as
an Israeli double agent was found with a cache of weapons in Hull.
Margaret Thatcher also closed down Mossad's London base.

Mabhouh was assassinated in his hotel room on 19 January by a group of
killers wearing fake beards, wigs and other disguises.

Dubai officials said they were "99% certain" that Mossad agents were
behind the murder but Israel has refused to confirm or deny the link.

At the time Miliband called the abuse of British passports "outrageous"
and demanded that Tel Aviv co-operate fully with the UK's investigation.

Israel's ambassador to London, Ron Prosor, was summoned to the Foreign
Office last month to discuss the situation, but he denied there was any
"additional information" to give.

Soca detectives reportedly flew to Israel three weeks ago to interview
the dual British-Israeli nationals whose identities were used in the
killings.

It is understood the officers attempted to interview Israeli government
officials but were given only "limited co-operation", according to one
Whitehall source.

A file was prepared by the officers, and sent to the Home Office last
week. It had since been forwarded to the Foreign Office and resulted in
the statement to be made later today.

Last month, Dubai identified the use of another six fake British
passports with the names of Mark Daniel Sklar, Roy Allan Cannon, Daniel
Marc Schnur, Philip Carr, Stephen Keith Drake and Gabriella Barney. A
Foreign Office spokesman said the government believed their passport
details had been used fraudulently. A total of 12 British passport
holders have now been named.

Other members of the hit squad travelled on fake Irish, French and
Australian travel documents, Dubai police said. At least 15 of the
suspected killers share names with Israeli citizens, fuelling suspicions
the Mossad was behind the hit. Interpol has published a wanted list of
27 people in connection with the klling.

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