Mahmoud al-Mabhouh

Mahmoud Abdel Rauf al-Mabhouh
Mahmoud al-Mabhouh
Native name
محمود عبد الرؤوف المبحوح
Born(1960-02-14)14 February 1960
Jabalia Camp, Gaza Strip
Died19 January 2010(2010-01-19) (aged 49)
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Buried in
AllegianceHamas
RankChief Logistics Officer

Mahmoud Abdel Rauf al-Mabhouh (Arabic: محمود عبد الرؤوف المبحوح‎; 14 February 1960 – 19 January 2010) was the chief of logistics and weapons procurement for Hamas's military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. He is remembered for his assassination in Dubai (widely seen as an operation by Mossad, the Israeli foreign intelligence agency) and the diplomatic crisis his assassination triggered after Mossad agents allegedly used forged foreign passports to carry out the killing.[1]

As Hamas's logistics officer, Al-Mabhouh oversaw the transfer of advanced weapons from Iran such as anti tank missiles, guided missiles and rockets to Hamas in Gaza for the purpose of targeting Israel. He also planned the abduction and killing of two Israeli soldiers in Gaza in 1989.[2][3] In more recent years, al-Mabhouh had played an important role in procuring weapons for the al-Qassam Brigades.[4] In 2010, journalists Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv alleged that al-Mabhouh had played a vital role as the middleman in forging secret relationships between Hamas and the Quds Force in Iran.[5]

Al-Mabhouh was killed in the five-star Al Bustan Rotana Hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on 19 January 2010, having arrived in the country earlier that day from Syria under an alias and using one of several passports.[6][7] According to police, al-Mabhouh was drugged, electrocuted and then suffocated with a pillow.[8] Widespread speculation, which Dubai police allegations support, is that he was killed by Israeli Mossad agents. Allegations that the agents used fraudulently obtained passports from several countries led to the arrests and expulsions of several Israeli officials and diplomats in several European countries and Australia.[1][9][10]

  1. ^ a b Blomfield, Adrian (15 June 2010). "Ireland expels Israeli diplomat over Hamas assassination". The Telegraph. London.
  2. ^ Robert Baer (27 February 2010). "A Perfectly Framed Assassination". The Wall Street Journal.
  3. ^ "Hamas aide: Leader murdered in Dubai smuggled weapons". Gulf News. 3 March 2010. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
  4. ^ Frenkel, Sheera (8 May 2010). "Two more British passport holders among new Hamas killer suspects". The Times. London. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011.
  5. ^ Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv (23 February 2010). "From Dubai with Love". The Atlantic. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
  6. ^ King, Stephen (3 March 2010). "Stephen King". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
  7. ^ Ahmed Al Sharif (11 March 2010). "Says police has DNA of four Mossad agents". Al Arabiya. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
  8. ^ "Dubai Hit: Police Say They Know How Mahmoud al-Mabhouh Was Killed". ABC News.
  9. ^ Schneider, Howard (17 February 2010). "Fake passports fuel questions about Israeli role in Hamas official's slaying". The Washington Post. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
  10. ^ "Australia expels Israeli diplomat over Dubai hit". Reuters. 24 May 2010.