Dubai: The UAE summoned European ambassadors yesterday over the use of their countries' passports by suspects in the assassination of a top Hamas commander in Dubai last month as evidence of Israeli involvement in the operation grew.
In the first public reaction to the assassination of Mahmoud Al Mabhouh, the UAE Government expressed "deep concern" at the use of passports from close allies, whose citizens enjoy preferential visa waivers, by the suspected killers.
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Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Anwar Gargash held a meeting to brief the European envoys in the UAE on the developments in the Al Mabhouh's case and to seek their continued cooperation in the investigation.
Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan warned that the UAE "fully intends" to bring to account those responsible for the assassination.
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"The UAE firmly believes that relations among nations should be conducted on the basis of respect for sovereignty, mutual trust and within the framework of international norms," said Shaikh Abdullah in a statement carried by WAM.
Passports held
The Foreign Ministry has been closely coordinating with the relevant government entities, including police and security services, in the investigation.
Meanwhile, the UK's Sunday Times reported yesterday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was briefed about the operation at the Mossad headquarters in early January and approved it, wishing the hit squad "good luck".
British media also reported that all of those British nationals whose identities were stolen by the perpetrators to travel to Dubai had said that their passports were briefly held by Israeli immigration authorities at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport earlier, further fuelling suspicion of Israel's involvement in the operation.
Dubai Police had said it will seek the arrest of Netanyahu and the chief of Mossad Meir Dagan if a link to Israel is proven.
Mustafa Al Ani, director of security and terrorism studies at the Dubai-based Gulf Research Centre however said that there is little the UAE could do to bring the perpetrators to justice if a link to Israel is found since Israel is not legally obliged to extradite criminals to the UAE.
Israel ties in trouble
A senior EU diplomat says Israel's suspected role in the slaying of a Hamas commander in Dubai and the killers' alleged use of forged EU passports will harm Israel's relations with the European bloc.
The official said the passport controversy "will be harmful for the way Israel is treated by the EU" since it comes on top of strong criticism over Israel's 2008 attack on Gaza.
The EU diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive topic, ahead of the EU's 27 foreign ministers meeting in Brussels. Israel's Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman will also be in Brussels to see EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, among others.
— AP
