Lara Setrakian and Brian Ross –
All signs point to an Israeli hit squad, using fake passports and elaborate disguises, in the assassination of a top Hamas leader in a Dubai hotel room, according to current and former intelligence officials.
Wearing a black wig, the lone woman in the group caught on CCTV
Police made public surveillance footage from inside the hotel showing members of the group disguised in wigs, with false facial hair. Two members of the group can be seen dressed in shorts, with tennis rackets, as part of their cover as tourists, police said.
The 11 all travelled on European passports which appear to be forged, according to authorities.
Three of the suspects travelled on Irish passports, according to Dubai police. Authorities in Ireland said today they could find no record of any passports issued "with details corresponding" to those used in Dubai.
"It has all the earmarks of an Israeli assassination," said former CIA intelligence officer Robert Baer. "There are very few intelligence agencies that have the ability to pull off something like this."
Intelligence officials say the Israeli intelligence unit, Mossad, has returned to its "old school" methods in tracking down people it suspects could be threats to Israel.
"Mabhouh was probably in Dubai to meet with the Iranians, because that's where you go to do business or arrange arms shipments with them," said Baer.
Mahmoud al-Mabhouh Shocked with Taser
Dubai authorities say Mabhouh died of suffocation after being shocked with a taser, burned with cigarettes and then smothered with a pillow.
"It was quiet, low profile, unlike a James Bond operation," said Roni Shaked, an Israeli journalist and former field agent with the Israeli version of the FBI. "I am convinced it is the work of the Israelis," he said.
The surveillance footage is described by Dubai authorities as capturing the 11-member team as it arrived at the Dubai airport, checked into the hotel, and then strolled through a shopping center.
In one sequence, a suspect identified as Kevin Daveron enters a bathroom and emerges wearing a wig and a change of clothes.
"This is a highly sophisticated operation conducted by people who knew when al Mabhouh would arrive in the country," said Dubai police chief General Dahi Khalfan al Tamim.
The alleged assassins made a speedy escape through Dubai airport to Hong Kong and a handful of European destinations. Dubai Police said they know where the suspects are now, and that they would be pursuing Interpol warrants for their arrest.
Mabhouh was a Hamas commander known for founding the Ezzedine Al Qassem brigade, the military wing of the Islamist Palestinian movement, and was believed to be supplying rockets and arms supplies to Hamas fighters. The National newspaper reported Mabhouh was wanted in Israel for the 1989 kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers.
On Tuesday a Hamas spokesman declined to comment on the case, but neither Hamas nor Israeli officials have officially denied allegations that Mossad was behind the killing.
'It could have been Mossad'
Dubai officials privately have suggested Mossad may be involved, but have also floated alternate theories.
"It could have been Mossad, it could be a subcontract of Mossad, it could be an Arab government trying to do a favor for another government, or it could be a deal gone bad. Mossad would strike anywhere," said Dr. Theodore Karasik, a security expert with Dubai-based think tank INEGMA.
Dubai has been the scene of several high-profile assassinations over the past two years, in particular the murder of Lebanese pop star Suzanne Tamim and the killing of Chechen ex-rebel leader Sulim Yamadayev. Both of them were slain in a luxury seaside complex know as the Jumeirah Beach Residences. Yamadayev was shot in the parking garage with the murder weapon, a gold-plated pistol, left behind at the crime scene.
The death of Mabhouh brought echoes of regional vendettas onto the emirate's soil. Dubai, an environment largely free of local politics, is a melting pot of people and interests that overlap and often collide. Its role as a transit hub means people come and go in every direction. Mabhouh, based in Syria, flew to Dubai from Damascus, and was slated to leave a day later to the Sudan.
Awesome, to bad there weren't other high level hamas leaders there too. If those IDIOTS in the Dubai government where smart they'd figure out it was the best thing to ever happen to them. If it was an Israeli hit squad we should be thanking them for ridding the world of another piece of crap terrorist. GO ISRAEL!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful for you to show your support for Israel, you show your true colors and have the same mentality of the same people who run the racist murderous state the world refers to as Israel. One day Israel will fall, don't worry people in the world are finally waking up to this zionist nightmare.
ReplyDeleteI am ecstatic and proud my colors are showing. I do have the same mentality of a people that are sick and tired of all the discrimination and antisemitism that has been put forth against them since the beginning of time. The current area of Israel had been the site of Jewish settlements since before the Muslim religion was even around. Israel like every other country has the right to protect itself from daily rocket attacks or any other type of attacks. How many Arab nations would sit by while someone was sending rockets indiscriminately into their country killing anyone, including children.
ReplyDeleteSo dannyd get a grip on reality and pray you never have to go through what the Jewish people have had to endure since forever and are still going through.
You need to really stop listening to Israeli Lip services, believe me if there was daily rocket fire into Israel every day believe the Western Zionist owned or influenced media outlets would make sure we all heard about it.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that is for sure the only daily discrimination, racism, and breaking of international laws and human rights abuses is that carried out by officials in Israel and believe me the hollow cause card and the antisemitism cards are not going to work forever.
When the Western Corporate and political whores have no need for Israel no more they will be by themselves falling down. One day Americans and Canadians and everyone else in countries that are Zionist controlled will wake up and realize there are more important things to fund within their own countries then paying Israel millions every year and then having Israel control there Governments.
Oh by the way I feel bad for real Jewish people who suffered at the hands of Hitler like everyone else that was non-Jewish just like everyone else that suffered in modern history like black people and Aboriginal People in North America and that number was way more then 6 million. Let Us be reminded of that everyday not just Hitler. I give praise to Jews and Non Jews who use action to go with their words when they speak never again, never again for all of mankind.
The continued occupation of Palestine and the attempts to destroy Gaza, and robbing and stealing of more Palestine Land and resources and culture and especially killing people around the globe is not really helping your cause of Israel.