U.K., Ireland to Israel envoys: Explain identity theft in Dubai killing

[scandal 951]

This story has been percolating through the Israeli press for the past week or so. It's now getting coverage on US and international news as well. What a total absolute clusterfuck. In 1973, the Mossad had the infamous Lillehammer affair, and killed an innocent man in Norway. This time the target was hardly innocent, but the bungling is just as bad, maybe worse.

Officially, of course, Israel does not confirm or deny anything. Not that that means a damn to the Brits or Irish or anyone else.

http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1150675.html

Last update - 07:34 18/02/2010

U.K., Ireland to Israel envoys: Explain identity theft in Dubai killing

Israel's ambassador to Britain has been summoned to a meeting with a senior Foreign Office official Thursday, to clarify what London called the "identity theft" of six British citizens living in Israel. The alleged theft was in connection to last month's assassination of a top Hamas figure in his Dubai hotel room.

Although Jerusalem has not taken responsibility for the January 20 hit on Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, the incident seems to have spawned a serious diplomatic rift between Israel and Great Britain. In his late morning meeting with British Foreign Office Under Secretary Peter Ricketts, Israeli Ambassador Ron Prosor is expected merely to listen to London's position, rather than offer an Israeli response.

Israel's ambassador to the Republic of Ireland, Zion Evroni, said Wednesday that he too had received a summons from the country's Department of Foreign Affairs and would be meeting with Minister Michael Martin on Thursday.

In Jerusalem, Foreign Ministry officials declined to comment on the matter, but an Israeli diplomat said on condition of anonymity that the government has decided to withhold a public statement until the British message is received, and would then choose how to respond.

A British diplomat said the meeting with Prosor would focus on the alleged identity theft of the six Britons, whose names appeared on the passports of several of the assailants involved in the assassination. The diplomat said the British Embassy in Tel Aviv would contact those individuals whose names were used to provide them with information on receiving new passports.

Israeli officials expressed concern Wednesday that the affair could seriously harm ties between Jerusalem and London. They said the British and Irish summonses could lead to similar steps on the part of France and Germany, other countries whose passports the assailants carried in Dubai.

One Israeli official said the Irish government had already contacted Britain, Germany and France to recommend they conduct a joint investigation into the incident.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown promised Wednesday that his government would launch an inquiry into the use of the British passports in the operation, but did not cast blame over the alleged forgeries.

"The defrauding of British passports is a very serious issue," a statement from the Foreign Office released Wednesday read. "The government will continue to take all the action that is necessary to protect British nationals from identity fraud."

"The government is involved in a number of strands of ongoing activity in relation to this specific case," the statement said. It cited three specific areas of activity: offering bureaucratic assistance to the affected British citizens living in Israel, investigating the matter fully and summoning the Israeli ambassador for clarification.

"The Serious Organised Crime Agency will lead this investigation, in close cooperation with the Emirati authorities," the Foreign Office said.

Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs released a statement indicating, "the identities of the persons recorded on the forged passports do not correspond to those recorded on the valid passports carrying the same numbers."

Meanwhile, Dubai police announced Wednesday that their inquiry into the assassination is focusing on bringing the suspected assailants to trial. They said investigators had successfully recreated a detailed picture of the operation. The official Web site of the Dubai police featured the suspects' pictures and personal information in an effort to locate the assailants.

Emirati police said the 11 members of the assassination team left Dubai several hours after the operation - some individually and others in pairs - for destinations in Europe, Asia and Africa.

At a memorial rally for Mabhouh in Gaza Wednesday, leaders of Hamas' armed wing said the group "will never rest until they reach his killers."

Hamas politburo chief Khaled Meshal addressed the rally of several thousand by video link from Damascus.

"We call on European countries to punish Israel's leaders for violating laws," he said. "Israel deserves to be placed on the terror list."

[mawilson 2,133]

Something doesn't add up. Why would Mossad steal the identities of *Israeli* citizens, when they could have

stolen or forged anyone's passport?

Unless they wanted the world to know that Israel was behind the operation?

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

At least we can all be glad that the Hamas scumbag is dead.

[scandal 951]

Something doesn't add up. Why would Mossad steal the identities of *Israeli* citizens, when they could have

stolen or forged anyone's passport?

Unless they wanted the world to know that Israel was behind the operation?

Apparently (so I'm reading..) passport technologies are now sufficiently sophisticated, with microchips and other embedded features, that it's pretty much impossible to forge one. Hence the only way to reliably get by passport control in/out of Dubai is with the genuine article.

At least we can all be glad that the Hamas scumbag is dead.

[mawilson 2,133]

Apparently (so I'm reading..) passport technologies are now sufficiently sophisticated, with microchips and other embedded features, that it's pretty much impossible to forge one. Hence the only way to reliably get by passport control in/out of Dubai is with the genuine article.

Wait... so they used the victims' actual passports? Didn't they notice their passports were missing?

Besides, it's not that hard to get a real UK passport. Any bum would do it for a hundred quid.

[scandal 951]

Wait... so they used the victims' actual passports? Didn't they notice their passports were missing?

I don't think the passports were physically stolen from them. I think (I really don't know, just what I read in Haaretz) that applications were filed to the UK and other European countries for new passports in the names of these people, and unbeknownst to them. The correct names, DOB, etc were used. Presumably primary evidence (birth certificate, etc.) was somehow presented (that may well have been forged or illegally obtained). The only element that was not part of the victim's persona was the photograph . Photographs of the (alleged) Mossad agents were submitted for the passport applications.

[mawilson 2,133]

I don't think the passports were physically stolen from them. I think (I really don't know, just what I read in Haaretz) that applications were filed to the UK and other European countries for new passports in the names of these people, and unbeknownst to them. The correct names, DOB, etc were used. Presumably primary evidence (birth certificate, etc.) was somehow presented (that may well have been forged or illegally obtained). The only element that was not part of the victim's persona was the photograph . Photographs of the (alleged) Mossad agents were submitted for the passport applications.

Ok, but why these people? They could have chosen anyone - a UK/European person not connected to Israel in any way.

[Ali G. 37]

Now we all know who they are:

Edited February 18, 2010 by Booyah

[scandal 951]

Ok, but why these people? They could have chosen anyone - a UK/European person not connected to Israel in any way.

I could tell you ... but then of course I'd have to kill you

Dude... you ask too many questions. These cloak and dagger people don't really let lil' ol' scandal in on all of their top secret skullduggery.

[mawilson 2,133]

I could tell you ... but then of course I'd have to kill you

Dude... you ask too many questions. These cloak and dagger people don't really let lil' ol' scandal in on all of their top secret skullduggery.

I seriously doubt the Mossad would leave a trail of breadcrumbs leading back to Israel, complete with

pictures of their agents.

All I'm sayin'.

[scandal 951]

I seriously doubt the Mossad would leave a trail of breadcrumbs leading back to Israel, complete with

pictures of their agents.

All I'm sayin'.

Lillehammer 1973. That's all I'm saying. They don't ####### up often, but when they do, it's a doozie.

There are already loud calls for Meir Dagan, the Mossad chief, to step down. We shall see.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Dubai investigators are nearly "100 percent" certain that Israel's Mossad spy agency was behind the hit squad slaying of a Hamas commander, the police chief said as the number of suspects rose Thursday to 18.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20100218/D9DUJ2G01.html

[Ali G. 37]

Dubai must not have biometric passports systems, or maybe the passports were not biometric. If they were, they would have noticed that the photo appearing on their terminal does not match the photo on the passport. It's why such passports are now mandatory here.