Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin has told the Israeli government of his grave concern at the “fraudulent use” of Irish passport numbers by agents linked to the killing of Hamas official Mahmoud al-Mabhouh last month.
After a meeting in Brussels with Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman today, Mr Martin said the use of passport numbers of five Irish citizens posed a threat to their security and violated the integrity of the Irish passport system.
Asked what the response was from his Israeli counterpart during the course of the 14-minute meeting, the minister said Mr Lieberman had no information to offer about the matter.
Mr Martin said the Government is still seeking information from the Israeli authorities and reassurance the Israeli state was not involved in the use of passport information.
European Union foreign ministers today condemned the use of forged European passports by the team of assassins who killed al-Mabhouh in Dubai.
However, they omitted any reference to Israel despite increasing speculation its intelligence services were behind the killing.
Diplomatic sources indicated earlier today that the statement was intended to censure Israel over its alleged involvement in the killing. Israel has declined to confirm or deny any involvement.
"The EU strongly condemns the fact that those involved in this action (assassination) used fraudulent EU member states' passports and credit cards acquired through the theft of EU citizens' identities," a declaration on behalf of EU foreign ministers said.
Mr Lieberman, whose visit to Brussels was planned for some time, also faced questions from British foreign secretary David Miliband in a separate meeting.
The alleged assassins of Mabhouh also used six passports from Britain, and one each from France and Germany, say Dubai authorities. The emirate’s police chief has said he is “99 per cent” certain Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad, was responsible for the murder.
“There has been a lot of speculation out there that there may have been Mossad involvement. We don’t have any cast-iron proof of anything but we will see if can shed any light on this and give any clarification and give his perspective,” Mr Martin said at the weekend.
Israel has so far refused to confirm or deny involvement in the January 19th assassination. “We don’t need to defend ourselves but if there is to be an inquiry and we are asked to co-operate, then we will do so,” an Israeli government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said last night.
The official played down speculation of a serious diplomatic rift. “It is very unpleasant to see all these allegations and so-called revelations. Once direct talks have taken place things can be straightened out. There is no need for any strain or tension,” he said.
Mr Martin said yesterday the United Arab Emirates foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan told him on Friday the incident may result in a tightening of entry conditions for EU travellers to the UAE.
“He said there was pressure mounting in his country in terms of the visa facilitation that currently exists there for EU citizens and the ease with which we can go there, and there have been calls for curbing such access now and going back to having to apply for visas because of what has happened,” Mr Martin said.
“I think they’re anxious also that it would be aired and articulated at EU level . . . They thanked us for our co-operation but they are clearly very angry at what has happened as well.”
Any curbing of the easy access Irish citizens have to the UAE would have a major impact on those who work there, Mr Martin added.
Sheik Abdullah has said the UAE is determined to bring those responsible for the killing to justice. “The abuse of passports poses a global threat, affecting both countries’ national security as well as personal security of travellers,” he said.