LONDON: Britain’s government will expel an Israeli diplomat from London on Tuesday over the use of forged British passports in the suspected Mossad assassination of a Hamas operative.
Foreign Secretary David Miliband was scheduled to address lawmakers in the House of Commons over the issue, following the conclusion of an investigation into the use of fake UK documents.
Miliband’s office declined to provide details of his statement in advance, citing Parliamentary rules. But a government official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment ahead of the statement, confirmed that Britain will expel one Israeli diplomat.
Israel’s foreign ministry confirmed that the country’s ambassador to Britain Ron Prosor was called to London’s Foreign Office on Monday for talks.
Britain sent investigators to Israel this month to meet eight Israeli-British dual nationals whose identities were used by suspects in the Jan. 20 slaying of Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh in a luxury hotel room.
Dubai authorities have accused Israel’s Mossad spy agency of being behind the slaying, and have identified at least 26 suspects from the alleged hit squad that traveled to Dubai on fake identities and forged European and Australian passports.
At least 15 of the suspected killers share names with Israeli citizens, further fueling suspicions the Mossad was behind the hit. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied involvement in Al-Mabhouh’s killing.
Interpol has published a wanted list of 27 people in connection with the slaying. -AP
