US CABLES RELEASED BY WikiLeaks show that the UAE debated whether or not to keep the assassination of a Hamas leader in a Dubai hotel quiet.
Mahmoud al-Mabhouh was killed almost a year ago by a group believed to have been agents for the Israeli secret service, Mossad.
The cable, written by the US ambassador to the UAE, says that Dubai rulers Mohammed bin Rashid and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed discussed the issue of the UAE’s public position on the killing:
The two options discussed were to say nothing at all, or to reveal more or less the full extent of the UAE’s investigations. (Comment: Saying nothing would have been perceived as protecting the Israelis and in the end, the UAE chose to tell all…)
The assassination was discussed by high-level officials for nine days before a statement announcing the death was released, Al Jazeera reports.
Some of the group of suspected assassins were carrying forged Irish passports. Others travelled on forged British and Australian passports. The Irish government considered recalling all passports issued before 2005 when more stringent security features were introduced, but decided against the move given the expense involved.
The passport scandal led to Israeli diplomats, who were not personally involved in the situation, being expelled from Ireland, Britain and Australia. The Israeli government has maintained there is no conclusive evidence that its agents were involved in the killing, despite claims made by authorities in Dubai.
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