A British citizen who traveled on his own passport has been identified as a suspect in the assassination of a Hamas commander in Dubai, a British newspaper reported.
The Independent reported Sunday that the 62-year-old British citizen entered Dubai under his own name and carrying his genuine British passport. His father is believed to be a Jewish Palestinian who moved to Britain after World War II. The man is believed to be hiding in Western Europe, according to the report.
Dubai police have informed Interpol of the name and passport number of the suspect. The Independent decided not to publish the suspect’s name.
The new suspect brings to 33 the number of people accused by Dubai police of being part of the assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in a hotel room in January. The Israeli Mossad intelligence agency has been blamed for the slaying, in which Mabhouh apparently was suffocated after being drugged.
In March, an investigation by Britain’s Serious and Organized Crime Squad found that the Mossad provided members of an assassination team with forged British passports.
The assassins used forged passports from Britain, Ireland, Australia and Germany to enter and leave Dubai. One of the newly identified assassins used a French passport.
Israel has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement in Mabhouh’s assassination.
