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| UK passport misuse 'intolerable' | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The UK is to expel an Israeli diplomat over the use of 12 forged British passports linked to the murder of Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai. | |
| Foreign Secretary David Miliband told the Commons there were "compelling reasons" to believe Israel was responsible for the passport "misuse". | Foreign Secretary David Miliband told the Commons there were "compelling reasons" to believe Israel was responsible for the passport "misuse". |
| He said: "The government takes this matter extremely seriously. Such misuse of British passports is intolerable." | |
| Israel says there is no proof it was behind the killing in Dubai in January. | Israel says there is no proof it was behind the killing in Dubai in January. |
| But Mr Milband said it was "highly likely" the Israeli secret service Mossad was involved and the fact that Israel was a close ally added "insult to injury". | |
| Strong message | Strong message |
| "Given that this was a very sophisticated operation, in which high-quality forgeries were made, the government judges it is highly likely that the forgeries were made by a state intelligence service," he said. | |
| "We have concluded that there are compelling reasons to believe Israel was responsible for the misuse of the British passports." | |
| BBC Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen said the expulsion sent a "very clear message" of British disapproval. | |
| There can't be a greater violation of trust for one ally to abuse the passports of another ally Sir Menzies Campbell Expulsion 'a strong signal' | |
| "It is a very big step for a government like the British to expel one of the diplomats belonging to one of its important allies," he said. | "It is a very big step for a government like the British to expel one of the diplomats belonging to one of its important allies," he said. |
| The British government has stopped short of accusing Israel of the murder, but Mr Miliband has previously demanded full co-operation with its investigation into how the passports were obtained. | The British government has stopped short of accusing Israel of the murder, but Mr Miliband has previously demanded full co-operation with its investigation into how the passports were obtained. |
| The foreign secretary's statement indications from Britain's Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) that officers had found proof of the cloned passports. | |
| Soca officers had travelled to Israel to speak to those whose passports were copied with new photographs inserted. | |
| A spokesman for the Palestinian Hamas group said it welcomed the decision to expel the diplomat but wanted international efforts to track down the killers stepped up. | |
| Former Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Menzies Campbell, said for a diplomat to be expelled, Israel must have had "some hand" in the matter, or had been unwilling to co-operate with Soca. | |
| ANALYSIS | ANALYSIS |
| Tim Franks, BBC News, Jerusalem | Tim Franks, BBC News, Jerusalem |
| There is a clear Israeli desire to talk this argument down from one where it could damage the wider relationship. | There is a clear Israeli desire to talk this argument down from one where it could damage the wider relationship. |
| As for the more general Israeli view, that is mixed. Many believe that there is a measure of slightly unconvincing righteous indignation from the countries whose nationals had their passports cloned. Those Israelis argue that Mahmoud al-Mabhouh was as much an enemy of the West, as of Israel. | As for the more general Israeli view, that is mixed. Many believe that there is a measure of slightly unconvincing righteous indignation from the countries whose nationals had their passports cloned. Those Israelis argue that Mahmoud al-Mabhouh was as much an enemy of the West, as of Israel. |
| But there are a good number of Israelis who also believe this was a cack-handed operation, which blew the identities of 27 valuable agents, and caused an unnecessary diplomatic stink. | But there are a good number of Israelis who also believe this was a cack-handed operation, which blew the identities of 27 valuable agents, and caused an unnecessary diplomatic stink. |
| He told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme: "It is very serious indeed... there can't be a greater violation of trust for one ally to abuse the passports of another ally." | |
| Downing Street confirmed that the head of Britain's diplomatic service, Peter Ricketts, met Israel's ambassador to London, Ron Prosor, on Monday. | Downing Street confirmed that the head of Britain's diplomatic service, Peter Ricketts, met Israel's ambassador to London, Ron Prosor, on Monday. |
| Last month Mr Miliband described the use of fake UK passports as an "outrage" and vowed that the inquiry would "get to the bottom" of the affair. | Last month Mr Miliband described the use of fake UK passports as an "outrage" and vowed that the inquiry would "get to the bottom" of the affair. |
| It is believed 12 fake British passports were used in the plot to murder Mr Mabhouh - the founder of Hamas's military wing - in his hotel room in Dubai on 19 January. | It is believed 12 fake British passports were used in the plot to murder Mr Mabhouh - the founder of Hamas's military wing - in his hotel room in Dubai on 19 January. |
| The names and details on the UK passports used by eight of the 12 suspects belonged to British-Israeli citizens living in Israel. All of them have denied involvement. | The names and details on the UK passports used by eight of the 12 suspects belonged to British-Israeli citizens living in Israel. All of them have denied involvement. |
| Dubai police have used CCTV footage to identify 27 alleged members of the team that tracked and killed Mr Mabhouh. | Dubai police have used CCTV footage to identify 27 alleged members of the team that tracked and killed Mr Mabhouh. |
| Other members of the hit squad travelled on fake Irish, French and Australian travel documents, Dubai police said. | Other members of the hit squad travelled on fake Irish, French and Australian travel documents, Dubai police said. |
| Dubai officials said they were "99% certain" that agents from Mossad were behind the killing but Israel has said there is no proof its agents were involved. | |
| Following his death, Mr Mabhouh's family said doctors who had examined him determined he had died after receiving a massive electric shock to the head. They also found evidence that he had been strangled. | |
| Blood samples sent to a French laboratory confirmed he was killed by electric shock, after which the body was sent to Syria. | |
| Thousands of people attended Mr Mabhouh's funeral at the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp, on the outskirts of Damascus in January. | |
| In 1988 Britain expelled Israeli diplomat Arie Regev over a spying row. He was described by UK sources as a Mossad agent. | In 1988 Britain expelled Israeli diplomat Arie Regev over a spying row. He was described by UK sources as a Mossad agent. |
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| CCTV footage of the hit squad suspects in a Dubai hotel released in February | CCTV footage of the hit squad suspects in a Dubai hotel released in February |