DUBAI // Interpol yesterday announced it would join the Dubai-based international task force formed to investigate the murder of the senior Hamas official Mahmoud al Mabhouh. Interpol issued red notices for 16 suspects, bringing the total number in the case to 27. The notices enable arrest warrants to be circulated to other countries to help with arrests and extradition.
Dubai Police had earlier released identity information about 26 suspects in the January murder of al Mabhouh, saying 12 used British passports, six Irish, four French, three Australian and one German. Interpol identified the 27th suspect as having the alias of Joshua Aaron Krycer, but did not reveal under what passport he had travelled to Dubai. It is believed most of the suspects in the assassination squad used stolen identities and fraudulent passports.
Ronald Noble, the secretary general of Interpol, said it was important for those involved to share all available information, as the case reportedly involved several cross-border movements and the use of altered passports. "Evidence of these global links touching each of Interpol's four regions worldwide makes the creation of the international task force with Interpol and interested countries whose passports were fraudulently altered essential to the investigation," Mr Noble said.
"It can only further help connect the dots and shed light on al Mabhouh's murder, and ultimately bring those responsible to justice." The creation of the task force came as Dubai authorities provided information that detailed the roles of the two "teams" identified by Dubai Police as being linked to al Mabhouh's murder, the Interpol statement said. The first team, police said, consisted of a core group who allegedly carried out the murder. The second is believed to have provided surveillance.
The Dubai Police investigation, Interpol's statement said, had established clear links through passport records and video surveillance of individuals and groups, as well as through DNA analysis, witness interviews and hotel, phone, transport and credit-card records. Dubai Police have also agreed to enter into Interpol's international database all relevant evidence related to the investigation, including DNA profiles recovered from the scene, Interpol said.
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