Mabhouh's killers could be executed in UAE

Dubai authorities have collected sufficient evidence to convict the assassins of Palestinian Hamas leader Mahmoud Mabhouh and they could be executed for premeditated murder in the UAE, a Dubai prosecutor has said.

Yousuf Fouladh, General Prosecutor in Deira, denied what he said were reports that the emirate is considering closing the assassination case for lack of evidence in the murder which took place in January 2010.

“There is no plan to close the case…we have collected sufficient evidence to convict those involved in the murder and execute them…this case will not be dropped by time,” he told the semi-official daily 'Al Ittihad' on Sunday.

Fouladh said the investigation involves 28 suspects, including 10 who were involved directly in the murder of Mabhouh at his room in Al Bustan Rotana hotel on January 20. The rest are accomplices who helped the killers.

“The UAE authorities are using all legal means locally, regionally and internationally to bring the killers to justice…the prosecution in Dubai is following up the case with all competent authorities in the UAE, including Dubai’s police and the UAE’s Interpol as evidence-gathering, searching, and investigation of all related people are still continuing,” he said.

Dubai has accused Israel’s Mossad intelligence service of being behind Mabhouh’s assassination and several suspects with fake passports, believed to be Mossad agents, have been arrested in Western countries.

In statements early this year, Dubai’s police commander Lt General Dahi Khalfan Tamim said he had received two death threats from Israel over his repeated accusations that Mossad had carried out the murder.He said Israel had sent him death threats twice, a few days after he revealed the details of Mabhouh’s assassination. He said the contents of the letter he had received read ‘protect your back if you want to keep your mouth open’.

Tamim disclosed that he got the second death threat indirectly when one of his relatives received a phone call from a retired Mossad agent.