Ireland in talks over assassins' passports

THE Irish Foreign Minister Michael Martin has said he is to meet with his Israeli counterpart to discuss the use of fake Irish passports by a team of assassins.

Hamas commander Mahmoud al-Mabhouh was killed in Dubai last month by suspected agents from Israel.

Five forged Irish passports linked to the hit squad were found in the Emirate with authentic numbers but names which did not match.

Martin said he has arranged talks on the matter with Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman tomorrow.

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband has already indicated that he will raise the issue in talks with Lieberman – which were arranged by Israel before the passport issue emerged.

Clones of passports belonging to six British Israelis were among those used by the assassins and Miliband has said he expects Tel Aviv to co-operate fully with the UK's investigation.

Confirming his own meeting, Martin said: "I intend to meet the Israeli foreign minister in Brussels to underline our deep concern about the fake use of passports in Dubai and to seek reassurance and clarification on this very serious issue."

Speaking at an event in Cork yesterday, Martin said he planned to further discuss the issue at his regular meeting with 26 other EU foreign ministers this week.

"I also spoke with the foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates overnight and we remain in close contact with the British Government," he added.

The announcement of tomorrow's meeting comes after Israel's Ambassador to Ireland, Dr Zion Evrony, met senior government officials in Dublin last week and insisted he knew nothing about the killing.

The ambassador is now set to receive an invitation to a parliamentary committee to answer questions on the use of the passports.

The documents were among European identity papers which were revealed by police as blame for the assassination centred on agents from Israel's Mossad secret service.