Britain expels Mossad spy

Dubai: The Israeli diplomat expelled from the United Kingdom in the wake of the murder of Mahmoud Al Mabhouh is the Mossad representative in the Israeli Embassy in London, the Daily Telegraph reported, quoting sources.

Yesterday Foreign Secretary David Miliband addressed the House of Commons on the issue, and while he did not name the diplomat to be expelled, he said: "I have asked that a member of the Embassy of Israel be withdrawn from the UK as a result of this affair, and this is taking place."

Israel's Ambassador to London Ron Prosor responded by saying his country is "disappointed" at the expulsion. "The relationship between Israel and the UK is of mutual importance…It is our clear intention to strengthen the firm foundation of our relationship which is both vital and beneficiary to both our countries," he said.

Investigation

Miliband continued in the televised address to highlight points from the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) investigation and report into the misuse of passports.

The report will not be released in full for legal reasons, however, it found "no evidence to suggest that any of those individuals were anything other than wholly innocent victims of identity theft," and that there were "compelling reasons to believe that Israel was responsible for the misuse of British passports".

Prosor was summoned to the Foreign Office in London on Monday to be told the results of the report.

Miliband also stressed that "the UK had absolutely no advance knowledge of what happened in Dubai nor any involvement whatsoever in the killing".

The 12 Britons whose passports were used in the operation have been given consular assistance, and 11 of the 12 have already been given new biometric passports, Miliband said.

"To alert other British nationals to the risks that their passports might be misused in the same way, I am today amending our travel advice for Israel to make clear the potential risk, and to set out the steps they can take to minimise that risk," the Foreign Secretary continued.

27 suspects

Dubai authorities accused Israel's Mossad spy agency of being behind the January 20 slaying of Al Mabhouh in the Al Bustan Rotana hotel, and have identified at least 27 suspects of an alleged hit squad that travelled to Dubai on fake identities and forged passports.

Interpol has unveiled a wanted list of 27 people in connection with the slaying.

At least 15 of the names used by the suspected killers match those of Israeli citizens who are dual nationals of Western countries.

The forged passports are British, Australian, German, French and Irish.