Poland holds alleged Israeli spy

Suspected Mossad agent wanted by Germany arrested over Dubai murder of Hamas official.

Mahmoud al-Mabhouh assassination Dubai
Dubai police have released footage purportedly showing hit-squad members linked to Mossad [EPA]

Israel’s foreign ministry confirmed that “an Israeli national was arrested in Poland,” adding that “the consulate of Israel is dealing with the case.”

According to an article to be published on Monday in Der Spiegel, the suspect, identified as Uri Brodsky, was arrested on arrival at Warsaw’s airport on suspicions that he helped a member of the hit squad get a German passport in June 2009.

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Mahmud al-Mabhouh, a founder of the military wing of the Palestinian group Hamas, was found dead in his hotel room near Dubai airport on January 20.

His wife has issued a statement asking “for the Mossad agent arrested in Poland to be handed to Dubai police to be tried there”.

Dubai is the commercial hub of the federation of seven Arab emirates called the UAE.

Dubai police have released extensive surveillance camera footage they say shows the team of suspects from the hit squad they have linked to the Mossad. Al-Mabhouh had been drugged and then suffocated, Dubai police said.

Twelve British, six Irish, four French, one German and three Australian passports were used by 26 people believed linked to the murder, according to Dubai police.

In many cases, the documents appeared either to have been faked or obtained illegally.

The issue caused a diplomatic row in which the five countries whose passports were used, called in Israeli envoys for explanations.

Source: Al Jazeera, News Agencies