Gaza: Irish Foreign Minister Michael Martin, during a visit to the Gaza Strip on Thursday, spoke out over the use of forged Irish passports in a Hamas leader's murder in a Dubai hotel.
"We [Irish government] are very angry at the fraudulent use of information that was stolen from valid Irish passports to make forged passports," Martin said during a visit to the Gaza Strip, which has been controlled by the Hamas movement since June 2007.
"These people were not Irish citizens. Whoever did this forged the passports. We're angry about that because it violates the integrity of our passport system and also places at risk the security of our citizens."
Martin did not meet anyone from Hamas during the visit — the first by a European minister in more than a year. It was facilitated by the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine refugees. Dubai police have implicated dozens of people in the killing of senior Hamas commander Mahmoud Al Mabhouh, all of who were carrying Western passports, most of which are believed to have been forged.
Al Mabhouh was found dead in a Dubai hotel room on January 19.
Martin has said that six of the passports so far identified were Irish and all the genuine passport holders whose numbers were used have been contacted.
Dublin last week summoned Israel's ambassador to express "grave" concern over the affair.
Earlier in the week, Dubai Police released the names of 15 more suspects.
In a new development, it has been revealed that three suspects held Australian passports.
On Thursday, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said his country "will not be silent on the matter... We will not leave a single stone unturned," Rudd told public broadcaster ABC.
Stark warning
Dubai Police also revealed new footage, showing additional suspects arriving in Dubai and following Al Mabhouh to his hotel room.
The Israeli ambassador to Australia was also summoned and was given a stark warning over the matter.
Britain also took this measure after it emerged that a number of British passports were used by the suspects.
— With inputs from agencies
