Habib Toumi

France’s foreign minister on Saturday said that the assassination of Hamas leader Mahmoud Al Mabhouh indicates the need for an immediate recognition of a Palestinian state in the region.

“It shows the need for peace and a Palestinian state, immediately,” Bernard Kouchner told Le Journal Du Dimanche when asked in the interview about the significance of the killing of Al Mabhouh in Dubai last month.

« We condemn all targeted killings and the use of forged documents. The [Mossad] agents did not usurp the identity of a French citizen, like they did with the Britons. They used a fake French passport and a fake name. Our condemnation is categorical,” the French minister said.

Six of the 11-member hit squad carried British passports; three others had Irish passports, while the other two possessed French and German documents. continue reading…

Al Bustan Rotana Hotel where Al Mabhouh was killed - Gulf News

The mystery shrouding the assassination of Hamas leader Mahmoud Al Mabhouh in Dubai last month is deepening amid new reports that Britain’s MI6 and Foreign Office had known that Israeli intelligence service Mossad would use British passports for an operation outside Israel.

The Daily Mail on Friday reported that MI6 was tipped off that Israeli agents were going to carry out an ‘overseas operation’ using fake British passports.

Quoting an unnamed Mossad source, the paper said that the Foreign Office was also told hours before a Hamas leader was killed in Dubai. However, the tip-off did not say who the target would be or where the hit squad would be in action.

The paper reported that a British security source who met the Mossad agent and who had “a track record of providing reliable information”, said that the British government “was told very, very briefly before the operation what was going to happen.”

“There was no British involvement and they didn’t know the name of the target. But they were told these people were travelling on UK passports,” the paper said  

The security source said that the tip-off was not a request for permission to use British passports but more a “courtesy call” to let the security services know “a situation might blow up.” continue reading…

Gail Folliard checking in at a hotel

 British government sources on Tuesday said that that the three Irish passport-holders accused of being involved in the assassination of a top Hamas leader last month were Israeli Mossad agents, according to the Daily Telegraph

The London-based paper reported that “there was no ‘corroboration’ within Whitehall of any British involvement in the assassination plot” and that “government sources said that officials do not believe any Irish nationals were involved but were Mossad agents using Irish passports.”

A Foreign Office spokesman said officials were “seeking further information” and were aware a request had been made to Interpol for arrest warrants, the paper said.

“Asked if any of the names had been registered with British officials or if any had reported passports being stolen, a spokeswoman for the Home Office declined to comment.” continue reading…

Egyptian players express their gratitude to God

Dubai’s Grand Mufti has rejected prostrations during football matches, saying that they were contrary to Islamic law.

The Islamic prostration to offer thanks to God became visible during the football matches played by Saudi Arabia during the World Cup in 1994 when players came together after scoring a goal and kneeled to offer thanks to God in a gesture emulating the prayer rituals performed in mosques.

Prostrations on the grass have since then gained in intensity and reached their zenith with the Egyptian football team during the African Cup finals broadcast last month to millions of Arab and Muslim homes.

Egyptian players and media said that the major reason for their team winning the African Cup was the team’s prompt expression of gratitude to God whenever they scored a goal.

However, Dr Ahmad Abdul Aziz Al Haddad this week told Saudi newspaper Al Eqtisadiya that players needed to meet strict conditions to perform the prostration of thanks and these include purity of the body, the coverage of their private parts and kneeling towards Makkah. continue reading…

Al Mabhouh - Mystery asassination - Gulf News

Members of a hit squad who killed a Hamas leader used Irish passports to enter and leave Dubai, the Irish Herald has reported.

Mahmoud Al Mabhouh, 50, was found dead in mysterious circumstances on January 20 in a Dubai hotel room.

But, according to the newspaper report quoting police authorities, up to seven people, including at least one woman, were said to have been involved in the killing.

Four of the assassins used Irish documents to enter Dubai and later fled to a “European country” after the killing.

“We are aware of the media reports and we are in contact with authorities locally to try and determine the truth of the reports,” a spokesman for the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs told the Herald on Friday.

Hamas has blamed Israel for the killing, but Israeli news media claimed Al Mabhouh had many enemies and could have been killed by other Arab factions. continue reading…