Dubai Hit Squad: U.K. Government Demands Answers from Israelis

Feb. 17, 2010 — -- On Thursday morning the Israeli ambassador in London will be summoned for talks with the British Foreign Ministry.

He will be questioned about the apparent use of forged British passports in the assassination of Hamas's Mahmoud al Mabhouh in Dubai. The incident is developing into a serious diplomatic incident between London and Tel Aviv.

Six of the eleven passports used by the alleged assassins in Dubai and displayed by the emirate's police on Monday were of British origin. All of them exactly match the names of real people currently living in Israel.

On Wednesday some of them spoke of their shock and dismay on hearing that their names had been associated with the assassination.

British born Stephen Hodes, 37, told Israeli television that he had not left Israel for two years, "I don't know who is behind this. I am just scared, these are major forces," he said.

Another British citizen Paul John Keeley said he had been "walking around like a zombie."

"I woke up this morning and suddenly my life is like an espionage movie. It is all very worrying but I know I have not done anything wrong," he told Britian's Daily Mail.

There is widespread speculation that the Israeli secret service Mossad was behind the killing, although Israeli officials have refused to confirm it. On Wednesday Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman poured cold water on the speculation but did not issue a specific denial.

"There is no reason to think that it was the Israeli Mossad and not some other intelligence service or country up to some mischief," he told an Israeli radio channel.

But British officials are taking the matter very seriously. Prime Minister Gordon Brown got involved Wednesday telling a radio station in London the matter needed full investigation.

"The British passport is an important document that has got to be held with care," he said.Later the British Serious Organised Crime Agency was tasked with looking into the matter and will be liaising directly with authorities in Dubai.