 | The article's lead section may need to be rewritten. (February 2019) |
| Assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| Date | 19 January 2010 |
| Target | Mahmoud al-Mabhouh |
Attack type | Assassination |
| Weapons | Pillow, muscle relaxant |
| Deaths | 1 |
| Perpetrators | 29 reported suspects |
| Hamas biographies |
|---|
| Map: Birthplaces and family origins. |
The assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh (Arabic: محمود المبحوح, Maḥmūd al-Mabḥūḥ; 14 February 1961 – 19 January 2010) took place on 19 January 2010, in a hotel room in Dubai. Al-Mabhouh—a co-founder of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas—was wanted by the Israeli government for the kidnapping and murder of two Israeli soldiers in 1989 as well as purchasing arms from Iran for use in Gaza; these have been cited as a possible motive for the assassination.[1]
His assassination attracted international attention in part due to allegations that it was ordered by the Israeli government and carried out by Mossad agents holding fake or fraudulently obtained passports from several European countries and Australia.
The photographs of the 26 suspects and their aliases were subsequently placed on Interpol's most-wanted list. The Dubai police found that 12 of the suspects used British passports, along with six Irish, four French, one German, and three Australian passports.[2][3][4][5][6] Interpol and the Dubai police believed that the suspects stole the identities of real people, mostly Israeli dual citizens.[2][7] Two Palestinians, believed by Hamas to be former Fatah security officers and current employees of a senior Fatah official, were taken into custody in Dubai, on suspicions that one of them provided logistical assistance to the hit team. Despite Hamas's claim, Dubai would not comment on the incident or identify the two Palestinian suspects.
According to initial reports, Al-Mabhouh was drugged,[8] then electrocuted and suffocated.[4] Lt. Gen. Dhahi Khalfan Tamim of the Dubai Police Force said the suspects tracked Al-Mabhouh to Dubai from Damascus, Syria. They arrived from different European destinations and stayed at different hotels, presumably to avoid being detected and, with the exception of three of its members suspected of "helping to facilitate" who had left on a ferry for Iran several months before the assassination, departed after the assassination to different countries.[9][4] Dubai's police chief said that he was "99% certain" that the assassination was the work of Israel's Mossad. On 1 March 2010, he stated that he was "sure" that all of the suspects are hiding in Israel.[10][11]
He said that Dubai would ask for an arrest warrant to be issued for Meir Dagan, the head of Mossad, if it is confirmed that the Mossad is involved and responsible for the assassination.[12] The Hamas leadership also holds Israel responsible, and has vowed revenge.[13] Hamas, which is itself on the U.S. State Department list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations, European Union lists of terrorist organizations, and also considered a terrorist organization by the governments of Israel,[14] and Japan,[15] as is its military arm by the United Kingdom[16] and Australia,[17] requested that Israel be added by the EU to its list because of suspicions that Israel was involved in the assassination.[18]
However, later in March, Dubai police chief said, "I am now completely sure that it was Mossad", and went on to say "I have presented the (Dubai) prosecutor with a request for the arrest of (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and the head of Mossad" for the assassination.[19] Khalfan would also suggest that a Hamas associate fed information to Mossad.[20] This was denied by Hamas which blamed Fatah for helping the Mossad hit team.[21]
In March 2010, the British foreign secretary, David Miliband, expelled an Israeli diplomat after the UK's Serious Organised Crime Agency discovered that Israel had forged copies of British passports.[22] On 24 May, the Australian government expelled an Israeli diplomat after concluding that there was "no doubt Israel was behind the forgery of four Australian passports" related to the assassination.[23] Similar action was taken by Ireland.[24] Israel has refused to comment on the accusations that its security forces were behind the assassination.[4]
On 30 September 2010, Dubai's police chief Dahi Khalfan said he received death threats from Israel's spy agency Mossad linked to his role in uncovering details of the assassination of al-Mabhouh, but whether such calls existed remains unconfirmed.[25][26][27]
- ^ "Al Mabhouh killed hours after arrival". The National. 1 February 2010. Archived from the original on 20 August 2010. Retrieved 19 February 2010.
- ^ a b Jason Koutsoukis (2 March 2010). "AFP on forged passports trail to Israel". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 2 March 2010. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
- ^ "Pictures of '11 Europeans' sought for Hamas killing". BBC News. Archived from the original on 18 February 2010. Retrieved 19 February 2010.
- ^ a b c d Dubai names suspects wanted for killing of Hamas man BBC news.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
IT20was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Australians' passports stolen for Dubai hit". ABC News. 25 February 2010. Archived from the original on 26 February 2010. Retrieved 25 February 2010.
- ^ 11 'Mabhouh killers’ on Interpol list. The Jerusalem Post
- ^ Mabhouh was sedated before killed Dubai Police
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
csmonitor1was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "suspects in Mabhouh killing hiding in Israel". Khaleej Times. 1 March 2010. Archived from the original on 4 March 2010. Retrieved 14 April 2010.
- ^ "Report:Alleged Dubai Assassins entered US". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 1 March 2010. Archived from the original on 4 March 2010. Retrieved 14 April 2010.
- ^ "Dubai police chief in Mossad arrest call". BBC News. 19 February 2010. Archived from the original on 20 February 2010. Retrieved 19 February 2010.
- ^ Analysis: So did the Mossad do it? The Jerusalem Post
- ^ The Financial Sources of the Hamas Terror Organization Archived 24 May 2012 at archive.today (Israel MFA), 28 May 2010
- ^ "Japan's Diplomatic Bluebook 2005" (PDF). 2005.
- ^ Proscribed terrorist groups Archived 18 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine United Kingdom Home Office
- ^ Listing of Terrorist Organisations Archived 4 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Australian Government Attorney-General's Department, 27 January 2006. Retrieved 28 May 2010
- ^ "Middle East Online". Middle East Online. 22 February 2010. Retrieved 14 April 2010.
- ^ "Israeli PM's arrest sought over murder". News. 3 March 2010. Archived from the original on 3 March 2010. Retrieved 14 April 2010.
- ^ "Dubai Police Chief insists al-Mabhouh was betrayed from within Hamas". al Bawaba. 4 March 2010. Archived from the original on 12 March 2010. Retrieved 7 March 2010.
- ^ "Killed Hamas official Mahmoud al-Mabhouh betrayed by associate, says Dubai police chief". TheGuardian.com. 21 February 2010.
- ^ Bowen, Jeremy (23 March 2010). "Expulsion of diplomat sends a strong signal to Israel". BBC News. Archived from the original on 8 April 2010. Retrieved 14 April 2010.
- ^ "Israeli diplomat to be kicked out of Australia over passport forgery row". Herald Sun. 24 May 2010. Retrieved 28 May 2010.
- ^ "Forged passport inquiry urges expulsion of Israeli". The Irish Times. 6 June 2010. Archived from the original on 10 February 2011.
- ^ "Dubai police chief says Mossad threatened him over Hamas killing". FRANCE 24. 30 September 2010. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
- ^ 'Dubai police chief claims Mossad threatened to kill him' – Middle East – Jerusalem Post
- ^ "Dubai police chief says Mossad behind death threats". Haaretz. 30 September 2010. Retrieved 17 November 2012.