United Arab Emirates: Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai on 19 January 2010.

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PR011 / 2010 / News / News and media / Internet / Home - INTERPOL

INTERPOL issues Red Notices to assist in identification of 11 Dubai murder suspects
LYON, France – INTERPOL has issued Red Notices for 11 internationally-wanted individuals who have been charged by UAE/Dubai authorities with co-ordinating and committing the murder of Palestinian national and Hamas commander Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai on 19 January 2010.

Since INTERPOL has reason to believe that the suspects linked to this murder have stolen the identities of real people, the Red Notices specify that the names used were aliases used to commit murder. INTERPOL has officially made public the photos and the names fraudulently used on the passports in order to limit the ability of accused murderers from traveling freely using the same false passports.

The publication of the Red Notices came at the request of Dubai police and INTERPOL’s National Central Bureau (NCB) in Abu Dhabi, with whom the INTERPOL General Secretariat and Command and Co-ordination Centre in Lyon are working closely, together with NCBs in other member countries, to determine the true identities of the alleged perpetrators behind Mahmoud al-Mabhouh’s murder.

“Based on close co-operation among our member countries and on information provided by innocent citizens, it is becoming clear that those who carefully planned and carried out the murder of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh most likely used forged or fake European passports of innocent citizens whose identities were stolen,” said INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble.

Mr Noble urged police to focus on the pictures of the suspects published in the INTERPOL Red Notice in deciding who to detain, question and apprehend.

“Since the names on the passports discovered as part of the Dubai Police's investigation are most likely the names of real and innocent people whose identities have been stolen, INTERPOL does not believe that we know the true identities of these wanted persons. We have therefore included the names fraudulently used because if any of the persons pictured on the INTERPOL Red Notice were found in possession of fraudulently altered or counterfeit passports, then such possession would be evidence of guilt for a variety of crimes,” said Secretary General Noble.

“The decision by Dubai and INTERPOL to share all existing available information with the international law enforcement community can only help shed light on those who perpetrated and masterminded the attack. In the process it will also help to establish the innocence of the ordinary citizens and even of countries whose identities were stolen and fraudulently used,” added Mr Noble.

Earlier this month, Secretary General Noble warned global leaders and decision-makers at the World Economic Forum in Davos of the international security threat posed by the use of fraudulent passports enabling criminals to travel undetected.

Dubai authorities have said that British, French, German and Irish passports were used in the operation to kill Mahmoud al-Mabhouh. A number of the individuals whose names were used have been reported as saying their identities were stolen and that they were not involved. Authorities in Britain, France, Germany and Ireland for their part say they believe the passports from their countries used by the alleged killers were fraudulently altered.

PR011h / PR011 / 2010 / News / Images / Media - INTERPOL


Hit squad suspected of killing Mahmoud al-Mabhouh

Suspected hit squad in Mahmoud al-Mabhouh killing

16 February 2010: A hit squad carrying British and other foreign passports was responsible for killing Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, a senior Hamas commander, in his hotel room in Dubai, according to the Gulf emirate's police chief. The Foreign Office said the British passports involved were fraudulent and the suspected assassins were not Britons
Wed 17 Feb 2010 20.21 AEDT

 

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AM - Former Mossad man says fraudulent Australian passports 'regularly' used 26/02/2010

Former Mossad man says fraudulent Australian passports 'regularly' used
Anne Barker and Marius Benson reported this story on Friday, February 26, 2010 08:00:00

Listen to MP3 of this story (minutes)
ALTERNATE WMA VERSION | MP3 DOWNLOAD

TONY EASTLEY: For all the Prime Minister's outrage at the misuse of Australian passports in the assassination of a senior Hamas figure in Dubai in January there's been little response from Israel.

Three Australians living in Israel appear to have been the victims of identity theft with their passport details being used by suspects in the killing of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh.

Yesterday Kevin Rudd told AM any state which uses or forges Australian passports, let alone uses them for the purposes of assassination is of the deepest concern to Australia.

Without directly pointing the finger at Israel the Prime Minister had Israel's ambassador called in for a meeting with the Foreign Minister Stephen Smith.

This morning an Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor was dismissive of the whole affair.

YIGAL PALMOR: Is anybody accusing Israel of involvement in the Dubai killing?

MARIUS BENSON: Many people, many people are accusing Israeli.

YIGAL PALMOR: Yes well I haven't heard any government accuse Israel of being involved in that. Not in France, not in Britain, not in Ireland, not in Germany and now not in Australia.

There have been many hints or direct accusations by some media. But you know media are responsible for what they say. They don't represent any official stance by any government.

So you know we don't think that we should feel concerned because someone in the some media thinks that this is Israel.

MARIUS BENSON: Well the Dubai police say that they are, what, 99.9 per cent certain it's Israel. That's an accusation.

YIGAL PALMOR: Yes, but have you heard the Dubai Government say anything of the sort? No, the Dubai...

MARIUS BENSON: Regardless of the sources of the accusation can I just get a direct response from you? Is Israel denying involvement?

YIGAL PALMOR: I don't think I should even respond to that because there is no accusation. I refuse to stand accused because no-one has accused me, being Israel, of involvement.

TONY EASTLEY: Yigal Palmor speaking to Newsradio's Marius Benson.

A former case officer with Israel's spy agency Mossad says he has no doubt that Australian passports have been forged or fraudulently used in past Israeli intelligence operations.

Victor Ostrovsky was a case officer at Mossad for several years in the 1980s. In his book he claims Mossad has its own "passport factory".

Israel has long rejected his claims and tried to stop his book from being published.

Victor Ostrovsky told our Middle East correspondent Anne Barker he's not at all surprised at the latest use of fraudulent passports.

VICTOR OSTROVSKY: No, no, not at all. They need passports because you can't go around with an Israeli passport, even not a forged one, and get away or get involved with people from the Arab world. They'll shy away right away.

So most of these operations, as most of operations of the Mossad are carried on what's called false flag which means you pretend to be of another country which is less belligerent to those countries that you're trying to recruit from.

ANNE BARKER: So are you saying that Israel forges the passports of other countries?

VICTOR OSTROVSKY: If they can obtain blank passports which they have in the past from Canada, from England, they do. If not they just manufacture them.

There is a company in Mossad headquarters that is in charge of that. They create various types of papers; every kind of ink. It's a very, very expensive research department.

This is technology which is widely available and privately manufactured so if need be the worst case scenario you buy a company that does it.

ANNE BARKER: And how identical are they to the original passports from say Australia?

VICTOR OSTROVSKY: If they create a passport at a top level for use of that nature I don't think anybody will be able to find the difference.

ANNE BARKER: So do you think fraudulent Australian passports have been used before this?

VICTOR OSTROVSKY: Oh regularly. Consider the fact that Australians speak English and it's an easy cover to take. You know very few people know very much about Australia. You can tell whatever stories you want. It doesn't take much of an accent to be an Australian or a New Zealander or an Englishman for that matter.

And I know people had been under Australian cover not once and quite a few times. So why not use it?

ANNE BARKER: And how does Mossad choose whose passport it's going to use or forge?

VICTOR OSTROVSKY: Well it depends on the cover they need and it depends on the operation they are involved in.

At the time there were people that were asked, could you, if when you're here in Israel we may need for security purposes to use your passport would you allow us to do that? And people would say yes. And there were shelves upon shelves of real passports just waiting to be used.

ANNE BARKER: And does it surprise you that Mossad would use passports from people that have no suspicion that this is going on?

VICTOR OSTROVSKY: No absolutely not. The feel that there is a need for security supercedes any personal rights.

ANNE BARKER: So there's no chance you think that these 26 suspects really could be Mossad agents?

VICTOR OSTROVSKY: No absolutely not. I mean expect for James Bond, who actually pronounces or announces his arrival at the scene by saying you know, I'm Bond, James Bond, most people who work in the intelligence field don't present themselves by their real name.

TONY EASTLEY: Victor Ostrovsky a former Mossad case officer speaking there with our Middle East correspondent Anne Barker.

 

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Israel responsible for faking Aussie passports, diplomat expelled: Smith

The Sydney Morning Herald

Israel responsible for faking Aussie passports, diplomat expelled: Smith
By Tim Lester
24 May 2010 — 12:16pm


Australia's relations with Israel have hit a new low, with the Rudd Government expelling an Israeli diplomat over the fake passports affair.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Stephen Smith, told Parliament today that inquiries by Australian intelligence agencies into the use of fake Australian passports in Dubai had concluded the fakes were the work of a state intelligence agency.

Mr Smith said this led to the conclusion there was no doubt Israel was responsible.

"No government can tolerate the abuse of its passports, especially by a foreign government," he said. "This represents a clear affront to the security of our passport system."

Stephen Smith ... said it was not the first time Israel had faked Australian passports.

The scandal over the use of fake passports erupted internationally after the January murder of a Hamas operative.

Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, one of Hamas's top arms dealers, was found dead in his hotel room on January 20.


Dubai police identified 27 people involved in the assassination, 12 of whom travelled on forged British passports.

Four of the suspects travelled on Australian passports in the names of four dual Australian-Israeli citizens.

Mr Smith said that intelligence sharing with Mossad would also be cut as the fake passports affair drags relations between the two countries to a new low.

Speaking after his statement to Parliament, Mr Smith said the fakes were of such a quality that they “could only (have been) affected by a nation through a state intelligence service.”

He said that this had led to the conclusion that “Israel was responsible for the counterfeiting and cloning of those passports”.


The AFP and the Director-General of ASIO made trips to Israel to investigate the allegations.

No government can tolerate the abuse of its passports, especially by a foreign government

Mr Smith said that the Australian investigation cleared the four Australians whose identities were used in the operation. They were “innocent victims”, he said.

On relations with Israel, Mr Smith said: “We do not regard these actions as the actions of a friend.”

But Mr Smith qualified his attack on Israel, adding, “We are a firm friend of Israel. We regret very much that this incident has occurred.”

The Minister briefed the National Security Committee of Federal Cabinet this morning on the findings of the intelligence agencies, and recommended the expulsion of the Israeli diplomat as well as a freeze on intelligence sharing.


Questioned on whether the officer expelled from Australia was a member of Mossad, Mr Smith said: “I’m not proposing to identify that particular person". However, he appeared to keep open such a possibility by adding, “Our response on any measure is comparable to the British response.”

Mr Smith said the abuse of Australia's passports was not what Australia expected from a nation with which it had had such a close and friendly relationship.

Isreal's ambassador is overseas until June 8, but the Israeli embassy in Canberra has declined to comment until later today.

In March, Britain expelled Mossad's London station chief over the use of forged British passports in the assassination of al-Mabhouh in Dubai.

RELATED ARTICLE
Diplomat expulsion an over-reaction: Jewish groups
The French, Irish and German governments also investigated the use of copies of their passports in the Dubai killing.


- with Kirsty Needham

 

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Clone wars: Mossad's London chief expelled over forged passports
Clone wars: Mossad's London chief expelled over forged passports
New details are revealed showing how Israeli security services stole British citizens' identities. Foreign Office advises travellers to Israel that they risk having their passports cloned

• By Kim Sengupta,
• Diplomatic Correspondent and Donald Macintyre in Jerusalem
• Wednesday 24 March 2010 01:00

Clone wars: Mossad's London chief expelled over forged passports

Britain has expelled Mossad's most senior official in London after concluding there was compelling evidence that UK passports used by a hit squad in Dubai were cloned by Israel. The Independent has learnt that the documents were cloned at Ben Gurion airport, and officials then made follow-up calls to check surreptitiously that the travel plans of those whose identities had been stolen would not interfere with the assassination.

"Such misuse of British passports is intolerable," the Foreign Secretary David Miliband told Parliament. "The fact that this was done by a country which is a friend, with significant diplomatic, cultural, business and personal ties to the UK, only adds insult to injury." In an unusual move last night, the Foreign Office also updated its travel advice for Israel, warning would-be visitors of the perils of passport cloning. "We recommend that you only hand your passport over to third parties including Israeli officials when absolutely necessary," the travel bulletin said.

In Israel, the official response to London's action was notably terse. "The relationship between Britain and Israel is mutually important," the foreign ministry said. "We therefore regret the British decision." But in other quarters there was undisguised fury. "I think [the] British are behaving hypocritically and I don't want to offend dogs on this issue, since some dogs are utterly loyal. [But] Who are they to judge us on the war on terror?" said Aryeh Eldad of Israel's National Religious Party.


The row marked another chapter of friction between Israel and its Western allies. Relations with Washington were reported to be at a 35-year low, following the Israeli government's announcement of 1,600 new homes in East Jerusalem while US Vice-President Joe Biden was visiting. The fact that yesterday's meeting at the White House between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Barack Obama was held behind closed doors was interpreted as another sign that tempers have not fully calmed.

While Mr Miliband refused to divulge the name and job title of the diplomat who was given his marching orders, it is believed to be the Mossad head of station in London. Dubai authorities have already accused Mossad of being behind the assassination in a luxury hotel of Hamas commander Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in January. With the diplomatic expulsion yesterday, Britain has effectively made the same accusation.

The results of the investigation by the UK's Serious and Organised Crime Agency (Soca) remained under wraps last night, but The Independent understands that the passports of 12 people were cloned after they were taken away from their owners at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv for up to 30 minutes, so that "immigration officials" could carry out "checks".

It is also believed that subsequently, some of the passport holders received telephone calls in the weeks before the Dubai assassination, from officials purportedly seeking to arrange appointments to discuss immigration issues. The officials went on to ask them about upcoming travel plans and when they would not be available.

All but one of the victims have now been issued with biometric passports, which are a safeguard against cloning. The final individual will receive his in the next week.

The Foreign Secretary told the House of Commons that forgeries were of a "high quality". "Given that this was a very sophisticated operation, the Government judges it is highly likely that the forgeries were made by a state intelligence service," he said. "Taking this together with other inquiries, and the link with Israel established by Soca, we have concluded that there are compelling reasons to believe that Israel was responsible for the misuse of the British passports."

Diplomats were quick to note the reference to "other inquiries" – fuelling speculation that the UK had other intelligence-based information about the episode. According to diplomatic sources US officials were told of the decision to carry out the expulsion and had no objection to the strong British stance, a reflection, it is believed, of Washington's exasperation with the Netanyahu government over the East Jerusalem settlements.

Mr Miliband had been due to attend a ceremony at the Israeli embassy yesterday evening, but he pulled out in what was widely perceived as another sign of British displeasure.

But the UK has desisted from taking more wide-ranging punitive steps. In 1987, after the arrest in Hull of a Palestinian working for Mossad and acting as an agent provocateur, Margaret Thatcher demanded that all Mossad operations in the UK should stop.

And it was clear last night that Israel was not planning a retaliatory expulsion of a British diplomat – despite calls from Knesset member Mr Eldad, to do so. Tzahi Hanegbi, the chairman of the Knesset's influential Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, and a member of opposition leader Tzipi Livni's Kadima Party said: "I believe that Israel's abstaining from giving any kind of response at the height of the Dubai crisis was right. Now that the height of the crisis is behind us, it is certainly all the more logical to refrain from making matters worse."

Mr Miliband stressed that Britain would "continue to work closely with Israel on a range of issues, notably the Iranian nuclear threat" but added "that co-operation must be based on transparency and trust".

He said he had demanded, and received, an assurance from Avigdor Lieberman, the Israeli Foreign Minister, that Israel would never again use British passports for clandestine operations. However, William Hague, the shadow Foreign Secretary, pointed out that a previous Israeli foreign minister, Shimon Peres, had given a similar undertaking after an Israeli embassy diplomatic pouch was found in a German telephone callbox with fake British passports. "It would seem those assurances have not been upheld," said Mr Hague.

The Dubai hit-squad also used fake German, French, Irish and Australian passports. Mr Miliband said he had spoken in the past 24 hours with the foreign ministers of those countries.

Timeline: Dubai murder case

January 19 Mahmoud al-Mabhouh is assassinated in Dubai. The suspects fly out within hours.

January 20 Hotel staff find Mabhouh's body. Hamas says he died of a sudden illness.

January 29 Mabhouh is buried near Damascus. A senior Hamas official accuses Israel of involvement in his death. Dubai police say Mossad involvement is possible.


February 15 Dubai police announce that they are seeking 11 people with European passports, and provide CCTV footage and passport photos of the suspects.

February 16-17 Original passport holders deny involvement and say their identities have been stolen. Israeli foreign minister says there is no proof of Mossad involvement. Gordon Brown promises a full investigation of the misuse of British passports.

February 18 Britain and Ireland summon Israeli ambassadors. Dubai's chief says for the first time that he is almost certain Israel was behind the killing.


February 22 As Avigdor Lieberman meets with European Union foreign ministers in Brussels, the EU condemns fraudulent use of passports.

February 24 15 more suspects identified by Dubai police, bringing total to 26.

February 27 SOCA investigators arrive in Tel Aviv to interview victims of identity theft.

March 9 27th suspect identified.

March 23 David Miliband announces Israeli diplomat will be expelled over use of forged passports

• 
  

 

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Dhahi Khalfan: Khashoggi case can be resolved in 72 hours, ready to help

 

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Abuse of Australian Passports - Statement to the House of Representatives, 24 May 2010 - Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs

Abuse of Australian Passports
Statement to the House of Representatives (check against delivery)

24 May 2010

Mr Speaker

On 25 February, I advised the House of the suspected fraudulent use of a number of Australian passports in connection with the murder of senior Hamas figure Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh.

I now advise the House of the Government's response to this matter.

First it is worth recalling the circumstances in which this came to the Government's attention and our response to date.

On 20 January, Mr Al-Mabhouh was found murdered in a hotel room in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

On 16 February, police in Dubai announced that falsified passports from the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and Germany had been used in connection with the murder.

Late on 22 February, Dubai authorities approached Australian officials with an inquiry about two Australian passports.

The following day, 23 February, Dubai authorities confirmed to Australian officials that they were investigating a number of Australian passports in connection with the murder.

Since that time, Dubai authorities have announced that they are investigating four Australian passports in connection with the murder.

Those four Australian passports are in the names of: Mr Adam Korman, Mr Joshua Bruce, Ms Nicole McCabe, and Mr Joshua Krycer.

From the first contact on 22 February, Australian authorities have cooperated fully with Dubai investigators.

On 25 February, I expressed to the House my concern that these Australian passports had been used fraudulently.

Both the Prime Minister and I condemned in the strongest possible terms this apparent misuse and abuse of Australian passports.

On 25 February, I also announced that the Australian Federal Police, in conjunction with relevant agencies, had been asked to investigate the possible abuse of these passports.

These agencies included the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) and the Australian Passport Office.

On 9 April, I received the Australian Federal Police report.

Upon a preliminary assessment of that report, it was clear that further work and advice was required from other agencies, in particular ASIO and ASIS.

I made this known publicly on 11 April.

This further work included a visit to Israel this month by the Director General of ASIO.

I received my final advice from agencies last week.

I briefed the National Security Committee of the Cabinet this morning and have taken steps to ensure that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs has been briefed.

This advice leads to the following key conclusions:

Firstly, and very importantly, there is absolutely no evidence to suggest that those Australian passport holders identified by Dubai authorities were anything other than innocent victims of identity theft;

Secondly, the passports in question were deliberately counterfeited and cloned for use. The high quality of these counterfeited passports points to the involvement of a State intelligence service;

Thirdly, these investigations and advice have left the Government in no doubt that Israel was responsible for the abuse and counterfeiting of these passports.

I note that a similar conclusion was reached by the United Kingdom Government in the course of their official investigations.

No Government can tolerate the abuse of its passports, especially by a foreign Government.

This represents a clear affront to the security of our passport system.

Nor can we tolerate the abuse by a foreign Government of the personal details of the Australian nationals concerned.

These are not the actions of a friend.

I regret to advise the House that this is not the first occasion that Australian passports have been misused by Israeli authorities.

The Dubai passports incident also constitutes a clear and direct breach of confidential understandings between Australia and Israel dating back some years.

This is not what we expect from a nation with whom we have had such a close, friendly and supportive relationship.

After careful deliberation, the Government has asked that a member of the Israeli Embassy in Canberra be withdrawn from Australia. I have asked that the withdrawal be effected within the week.

Earlier this morning, at my request, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade called in the Israeli Charge d'Affaires. Israeli Ambassador Rotem, whom I called in on 25 February, is absent from Australia until 8 June. If Ambassador Rotem had been in Australia, I would have again spoken to him myself.

The Department conveyed the Government's deep disappointment over Israeli involvement in this affair.

The Department made it clear that Australia regarded the abuse of these passports as inconsistent with the friendship and support provided by successive Australian Governments to Israel since its creation as a nation.

Australia's relationship with Israel has always been founded on a basis of mutual respect and trust.

But Israel's actions in this regard have undermined that respect and trust.

The Government takes this step much more in sorrow than in anger or retaliation.

It is a decision taken in our national security interests.

The Government has done so in accordance with the findings of the investigation and after a careful assessment of Australia's national interests by relevant agencies.

The Government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, will continue to provide consular assistance on an as needs basis to those Australians whose identities were stolen and who were therefore adversely affected by Israel's actions.

We have already, on request, replaced the passports of a number of those involved.

I convey publicly a final point made to the Israeli Charge d'Affaires by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade:

Insofar as the Australia-Israel bilateral relationship is concerned, our expectation is that our relationship with Israel can and will continue in a mutually productive and beneficial manner.

Australia's support for the State of Israel goes back to its creation.

Australia's support for the State of Israel has long enjoyed bipartisan support.

We have always shared a relationship reflecting our joint commitment to freedom, security and democracy.

Australia remains a firm friend of Israel.

But, as I noted previously, our relationship must be conducted on the basis of mutual trust and respect.

Genuine friendship runs both ways.

We expect this and future Israeli Governments to ensure that this incident is not repeated.

We now look forward to working to restore the highest standards of trust in our relationship with Israel.

I thank the House.

 

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Dubai hit squad had 5 forged Irish passports

Dubai hit squad had 5 forged Irish passports
Friday, February 19, 2010

By Ed Carty and Colm Kelpie
THE secret service hit squad blamed for assassinating a Hamas commander were carrying a total of five Irish passports, it emerged last night.

Dubai authorities have warned diplomats in Ireland two more identity papers were recovered after the murder of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh by suspected Israeli agents.

A Foreign Affairs spokesman confirmed two more Irish passports had been linked to the hit squad.

Officials have tracked down the first three people named on forged documents – Evan Dennings, Gail Folliard and Kevin Daveron – two of whom were due to travel this weekend.

The first three forged documents carried authentic passport numbers but the names did not match. Officials were last night attempting to establish if names and numbers were genuine and to track down the unsuspecting citizens.

Micheál Martin, Foreign Affairs Minister, said with Interpol on red alert for 11 suspected agents at least two Irish citizens would likely have been arrested as they attempted to fly over the next 48 hours.

“It is an extremely serious incident and event and puts the security of Irish citizens at risk, there is no question of that,” he said.

Mr Martin said he believed the numbers had been randomly stolen.

The passports were among European identity papers revealed by police as blame for the assassination centred on agents from Israel’s Mossad secret service.

The minister said it was too early to discuss possible sanctions if Israel admits responsibility.

Israel’s Ambassador to Ireland Dr Zion Evrony met senior Government officials in Dublin over the controversial killing but insisted he knows nothing about it.

Dr Evrony also said he was under no obligation to address the international incident in public.

“I don’t know anything about the event – beyond that it is not customary to share the content of diplomatic meetings,” he said.

Mr Martin has also discussed the international incident with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said the secretary general David Cooney and the assistant secretary in charge of the passport office Ray Bassett provided details of the fake passports to Dr Evrony.

They asked the Israeli authorities to provide whatever information and assistance they could give on the matter.

A spokesman said: “It was stressed that regardless of who was responsible, the Government takes grave exception to the forgery and misuse of Irish passports, which could devalue the standing of the passports and potentially put at risk the safety of Irish citizens travelling abroad.

“The ambassador said he had no information on the matter and would relay the messages he had received to his authorities.”

The United Arab Emirates ambassador to Ireland Khalid Nasser Rashid Lootah also held a prearranged meeting with officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The use of false documents in the killing was discussed.

 

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http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-02-25/australians-passports-stolen-for-dubai-hit-smith/342642
Extract»
Mr Korman, 34, is Australian-born but lives in Tel Aviv where he sells musical instruments.

In an interview with Israeli media he has denied any involvement and says he is the victim of identity theft.

AM tried to contact him, along with a Bruce Daniel who lives near Haifa in Israel's north, but neither was answering the phone.

But Mr Korman has told Israel's biggest newspaper Yediot Aharonot that he is shocked over what has happened.

"It's identity theft. Simply unbelievable," he is quoted as saying.

"It's a violation of human rights to do such a thing. I have travelled all over the world but never visited Dubai or the United Arab Emirates."

Mr Korman also told the paper he was perplexed as to how he could fly to Australia again now that he is considered an international suspect.

"I have been frightened and shocked since receiving the news," he reportedly said.

AM has confirmed that Australian Nicole Sandra McCabe also lives in Israel.

When contacted this morning, her family in Australia said they had no knowledge of her name being linked to the Dubai investigation.

Dubai police have released new information about the movements of the 26 suspects before and after the assassination.

All had apparently travelled to Dubai from one of six European cities or Hong Kong, and each left the country to various destinations, including Hong Kong and Iran, before returning to Europe where they apparently abandoned the fraudulent passports.

Many had also used credit cards issued by the same US bank.

Police also released new vision from the hotel's security cameras showing the man named as Mr Bruce with one of the French suspects inside the hotel.

 

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BBC News - Pictures of 26 'agents' sought over Hamas killing
Pictures of 26 'agents' sought over Hamas killing
Images show suspected agents with the names and nationalities of the faked European and Australian passports they used.

The government in Dubai has issued pictures of 26 "agents" with faked European and Australian passports that it suspects of involvement in the assassination of a top Hamas official last month.

Mahmoud al-Mabhouh was murdered in his hotel room in Dubai on 20 January.

Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist movement, accused Israeli agents of killing him. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied involvement. Reports said he was in Dubai to buy weapons for Hamas.

Dubai's police said 12 of the suspects had British passports, six had Irish passports, four had French, three had Australian and one had a German passport.

 

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Mossad and Australian spies: how Fairfax reporter homed in on Zygier
Peter Beaumont The Guardian Australia
Thu 14 Feb 2013 05.35 AEDT
Mossad and Australian spies: how Fairfax reporter homed in on Zygier

Extract»
In January 2010, a Mossad hit squad murdered the Hamas official Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, in Dubai.

It emerged that the team had been supplied with false passports from a number of countries including Germany, Ireland and the UK, apparently confirming the very practice Katsoukis was investigating.

"The feeling was that we should go to Zygier and put the story to him. It wasn't difficult to find him. He'd was back in Jerusalem so I called him at home.

"When I spoke to him he was incredulous at first and said off – but what was interesting was that he did not hang up. He did soundly genuinely shocked. But he listened to what I had to say.

"I still wonder why he didn't hang up. He denied everything however. He said he hadn't visited the countries it had been claimed he had. I tried calling again but in the end he told me to buzz off."

Related article»
How the Mossad Works: The Mystery of Israel's 'Prisoner X' How the Mossad Works: The Mystery of Israel's 'Prisoner X' - SPIEGEL ONLINE - International via @SPIEGELONLINE

Extract»
The agent was arrested in February 2010, shortly after the Mossad had murdered the weapons dealer of Hamas in Dubai. Now there's speculation that Zygier was involved in that killing, and that he may have divulged secrets. Or did he have something to do with the killings of Iranian scientists or software attacks against Iran's nuclear program?

There are no answers, but Zygier and two other Australian Jews who also worked for the Milan firm were reported to have been successful agents. "The nature of their business gave them access to military and secret installations," said an Austrialian intelligence source.

Zygier's case provides insight into the methods of Mossad. It shows how the service recruits agents and masks operations.

As a young man, Zygier got involved with the "Community Security Group" in Melbourne, a kind of Jewish citizens' defense league. These groups often have links to Mossad and are instructed by agents. Ben Zygier was probably recruited in this way. At around the same time, Paul Y. and David Z. were recruited.

Australian Jews are particularly attractive to the Mossad because of a quirk in the law: Australians are allowed to change their first and last names once a year. It's a wonderful way to adopt a new identity.

After he completed his education, Zygier emigrated to Israel. Y. and Z. also moved there. The three of them -- all holding Israeli and Australian citizenship -- got jobs with the Milan-based firm. Back in Australia, they applied for new names. Ben Zygier got the names Benjamin Burrows and Benjamin Allen. Y. and Z. also changed their names at least twice.

Under Surveillance

But in 2009 their repeated name-changing aroused the interest of the Australian authorities -- especially when Zygier handed in his old passports, filled with Iranian entry visas. Paul Y. spent a lot of time in Syria, Iran, Egypt and Dubai. David Z., too, travelled to Iran several times. That wasn't just evident from his passport stamps. During one trip in 2004, he sought help from the Australian consulate in Tehran.

The three men were now put under surveillance whenever they went back to Australia. Britain's MI6 foreign intelligence agency also began to take an interest in David Z., who possessed a British passport as well.

Ben Zygier also attracted attention with his choice of friends. During a trip to Melbourne in 2009, his followers noticed that he was approaching Iranian and Saudi-Arabian students at Monash University.

Soon after that, a source told the Australian journalist Jason Koutsoukis that the three men were caught up in espionage. When he confronted Zygier with these accusations, he denied it. "I asked him why he changes his name so often," said Koutsoukis. "He replied he had personal reasons for that."

They spoke three more times before mid-February 2010. Zygier was getting increasingly annoyed, he said he just wanted to build a normal life for himself in Israel. During the last telephone call he shouted: " off!"

At this point the Australian authorities already planned to arrest Zygier for espionage. But the Israeli authorities were quicker. On Feb. 24, Israel informed a liaison officer from the Australian secret service in Tel Aviv that Zygier had been arrested.

Zygier died in December. Calls to the firm in Milan are only answered by voicemail. Paul Y. and David Z. are reported to be still living in Israel. Possibly under new names.