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Dubai says Hamas man killed by European hit squad

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11 to 1. I guess the Hamas dude must have been pretty scary.

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Hitmen are everywhere. This guy did a bit of damage from what I have read... Typical.

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Hard to believe that six British, three Irish, one French, and one German killer could coordinate this murder. Or maybe this team used fake or stolen passports.

Tamim said it was possible that “leaders of certain countries gave orders to their intelligence agents to kill” al-Mabhouh...

I wonder which country would give such order!

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The world is better off without al-Mabhouh- I hope he suffered.

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I believe the Dubai source. After all, Dubai is basically a neutral country. They have no reason to lie. So I guess this means Europe is not only complicit in rendition and torture but also state-sponsored extrajudicial assassinations. They are no better than any of the major players on the world stage.

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The world is better off without al-Mabhouh- I hope he suffered.

Why do you assume he was bad? Maybe he wanted to arrange for delivery of very much needed medicines.

So I guess this means Europe is not only complicit in rendition and torture...

Possibly, but at this stage, all we know is that the killers had European passports. But were they European?

Also, if leaders of a European country gave orders to their intelligence agents to kill al-Mabhouh, why don't all the killers have passports from that country? Me thinks the passports are fake/stolen, and the killers come from a country from which no passports were used.

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Possibly, but at this stage, all we know is that the killers had European passports. But were they European?

You doubt the authorities of neutral Dubai, but not those of bellicose, terror-sponsoring Iran?

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The hitmen may well have been British, etc. but that doesn't mean they were working for a European government.

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wigs, fake beards, and TENNIS CLOTHES ? excellent

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The hitmen may well have been British, etc. but that doesn't mean they were working for a European government

No they could have been CIA. You wont believe who and for what country roams around here. The place is thick with russian mob too.

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It is interesting to see so much focus on the countries of the passports on which the hit squad traveled. It seems to me that it is common sense that whether these people were working for a government agency, organized crime or whatever, that they would be using doctored passports or traveling under aliases if the reason for entering the country was specifically to assasinate al-Mabhouh. So, it really would not matter what country the passports were under. The fact that they were all not passports from the same country also makes sense as they would not want to be seen as being together. This holds true for traveling seperately and staying in seperate hotels.

Considering al-Mabhouh was a senior Hamas military commander and one of the founders of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades and that he had never been involved with anything resembling charity work or help for the needy in his positions with Hamas, it is highly unlikely his work in Dubai had anything to do with importing much needed medicines.

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The pros of pro assassins usually work in solo or 2/3 man teams... My best guess is joint op CIA, MI6 and Mossad with some UAE Intel on top. Just (however) a big crew and couldve been a vendetta working for a wealthy guy... to me- the hit was textbook hit 101, the intel, escape, Int flights in all directions, the tailing, the hotel room across the hall, and the lookouts. I also believe he was tasered for 10 minutes before he got the pillow.

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Names and photos have been released. These people and names look like they aren't just "passport holders" but genuine citizens from their countries. How the heck does a 33 year old Irishwoman end up working for Mossad?

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has the mob, or a mob been ruled out?

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knackerz,

Recruitment amongst intelligence agencies is often used to get 'local talent'. Most 'assets' that are recruited by intelligence agencies are the most regular of people. The makes them the best of assets as the blend into their surroundings. It is certainly possible that some of these people involved in this started out that way.

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If those names and pictures that were released are truly of the killers, we can expect them to be gradually eliminated to make sure they don't talk. But then again, maybe they don't know anything (who ordered the killing).

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If they were indeed 'assets', it is certainly conceivable that they would not know for whom they were working. However, this seems to sloppy to me to be the work of an intelligence agency. Too many people and too easily spotted. While it certainly seems to be nothing less than the work of professionals, it does seem more like some sort of organized crime professionals.

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Sorry, 'too sloppy'.

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However, this seems too sloppy to me to be the work of an intelligence agency.

Hmmm, maybe that was their intention. If it was not sloppy (e.g., the murder of the nuclear scientist in Iran), everyone would have blamed the Mossad. Now, many are looking at Europe.

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It's going to be a real cluster thing if it turns out that some of the people getting their passport photos and names plastered over the media and internet really were tourists.

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Is Fatah a suspect?

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Sounds like there was a falling out back at the ranch. If he was so important, they would have protected him. It may be that Hamas wanted to get rid of him and make it look like Israel did it...Hence, no security for this guy...

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my2sense: My best guess is joint op CIA, MI6 and Mossad with some UAE Intel on top

I would tend to agree. They probably all deserve credit. "Good morning Mr. Phelps..."

sabi: Maybe he wanted to arrange for delivery of very much needed medicines.

That would be atypical of Hamas which usually steals aid to Gaza, like food and medicine, and then sells it to the highest bidder.

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All the passports have turned out to be fake and so far only two have been identified as being real people, though the PP numbers and dates of birth were wrong relative the real people.

The fact that al-Mabhouh was out there alone and that such a crowd was involved in the killing really strikes me as being very odd. Mossad really are better at this type of thing and I can’t see them needing 11 people to take out one, nor can I see them wandering about infront of CCTV cameras without being fully aware of it. The very fact that the killing was a success lets out the CIA, had it been them they would all now be in a Dubai prison. My money is on Hamas doing a little house cleaning and whipping up a little propaganda at the same time and there is also the possibility the Iran contracted this out to some criminal group. Terrorist seldom grow old, they usually know too much for that to be allowed to happen. Though it has to be said that the world is just that little bit safer now without al Mabhouh. I just hope he doesn’t gat to rest in peace.

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Hmmm, maybe that was their intention. If it was not sloppy (e.g., the murder of the nuclear scientist in Iran), everyone would have blamed the Mossad. Now, many are looking at Europe.

Well, looking at this and related articles, Israel's name popped up from the beginning. As Grafton correctly points out, Mossad's operations go much more smoothly than this one or the one in Iran. In fact, in this case, Mossad would not have had to go to all this trouble to get al-Mabhouh. They could have easily gotten him much closer to home if they really wanted him. I can't see the Israel government spending the manpower, time and resources for this type of operation. The end result just does not seem worth it in this case. His death really does not change anything greatly for Israel.

ETA: Grafton, another excellenly written post. Although, personally I think it is an organized crime (weapons related) hit rather than Hamas taking care of him. Although your point about the lack of security around al-Mabhouh certainly is puzzling.

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The fact that al-Mabhouh was out there alone...really strikes me as being very odd.

Maybe Paulie called in sick.

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As Grafton correctly points out, Mossad's operations go much more smoothly than this one or the one in Iran.

Mossad operations often do not go smoothly. They sometimes get caught, bombs going off prematurely in their face, they murder the wrong guy, ....

They are very active, but they are not all very smart.

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I disagree completely. Mossad works extremely intelligently. That is one thing that can be said with confidence. It is not a sloppy agency. I don't know to which operations you are referring. However, they do not sound like Mossad related operations at all. Neither does this incident.

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The following is from the Guardian, it shows that stealing/forging passports is typical of Mossad and that the Mossad aren't so smart.

"Mossad agents have been caught with foreign passports before, triggering diplomatic rows. In 1997, two Mossad agents using forged Canadian passports were arrested in Amman after trying to assassinate Khalid Meshal, a Hamas official who is now the movement's leader, by spraying poison into his ear...

That operation was carried out while Binyamin Netanyahu was prime minister. He is now in the job for a second time.

... Israel promised Canadian passports would never again be used for such missions.

But within a few years, another dispute surfaced. Two suspected Mossad agents were jailed for six months in 2004 in New Zealand for trying to falsely obtain a New Zealand passport...

Helen Clark, the then New Zealand prime minister, criticised Israel for behaving in a way "unacceptable internationally by any country".

"The breach of New Zealand laws and sovereignty by agents of the Israeli government has seriously strained our relationship with Israel," she said at the time. "It is a sorry indictment of Israel that it has again taken such actions against a country with which it has friendly relations."

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I think you misunderstood me. I would never suggest Mossad agents (or any other intelligence agents) are perfect or that they never make mistakes. I also would never suggest Mossad agents (or any other intelligence agents) would never used forged or fake passports. Quite the opposite, I have suggested from the beginning that the passports would probably be fakes.

The examples you gave do not show any lack of intelligence (IQ wise) on the part of Mossad or its agents. Spies sometimes get caught. In fact, in the New Zealand example, there seems to be no specific proof of Mossad involvement, leading to the word 'suspected' being used.

However, it is unrealistic for anyone to think that it is an uncommon practice of members of intelligence agencies to hold doctored passports. Of course they would. What I am referring to is the way this operation was performed. Again, it does not look like a Mossad type of operation. The latest news saying the suspects used passports with names of Israeli duel citizens confirms that it is unlikely that Mossad is involved.

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three of the six british suspects are brits that live in israel. the three find out about thier involvment in the assasination of the terrorist from the israeli news.

i would be very surprised if the mosad or any other organisation would use the identity of israeli citizens in order to enter an arab state.even if the pasports are british,any record of entry to israel would rise suspesion if not denail of entry on the spot.

but from the other hand,the mosad defently have a motive to take him out.its irelavent what his position in hamas right now,its what he have done to the israelis(kidnaped and murdered 2 israeli soldeirs)in the past that is importent to israel and the mosad.

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makabi, the fact they were located in Israel makes their passport numbers available to the authorities, common sense and with Mossads past record of illegal assasinations entirely predictable.

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