Hamas figure's death blamed on Israel

THE BROTHER of Hamas military chief Mahmoud al-Mabhouh killed in Dubai on January 20th yesterday insisted that Israel was responsible.

After seeing security camera images of the suspects, released by the Dubai police, Faik al-Mabhouh stated, “From the start we said Israel [had] a hand in it [but] it didn’t work alone.” He said Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad, had “no problems recruiting people abroad” and may have been given a “green light” by “some Palestinians”.

Dubai’s attorney general, Issam al-Hemaydan, said international arrest warrants had been issued for 11 suspects holding European passports. After the killing, all departed for European destinations that night. Two Palestinian co-conspirators, one allegedly a lieutenant in the Palestinian Authority (PA) security apparatus, who had fled to Jordan were extradited to Dubai. Hamas blamed Israel for the assassination, but accused the PA of collusion.

A Palestinian source in Dubai told The Irish Times the victim’s visit to the emirate could not be explained. “He did not need to travel to Dubai to go to Iran or meet Iranian officials, financial donors, or members of Hamas,” as some reports suggested. “He could have flown to Iran from Damascus and met people there.”

As a senior Hamas figure, he normally travelled under an assumed name, with bodyguards. On this trip he went alone on his own passport. The possibility of his defecting, which could explain these actions, can be ruled out because Israel would have spirited him away for interrogation if so.

The implication of a PA security officer could disrupt efforts to end the rift between Hamas and Fatah, which dominates the PA. A delegation of 22 Arab legislators is currently in Gaza with the aim of breaking this deadlock.