Britain demands Israel explains fake passports link to Hamas killing

Passports in the names of six British Israelis were among 11 European identity papers discovered by Dubai police hunting the hit squad that killed Mahmoud al-Mabhouh last month.

The Foreign Office said that, given the links to Israel of a number of the British nationals affected, there would be a meeting with the Israeli ambassador.

Gordon Brown yesterday promised a full investigation into the use of the passports.

The Prime Minister said evidence was being examined amid claims that Israel's security service, Mossad, was behind the murder.

Mr Brown said: "We have got to carry out a full investigation into this. The British passport is an important document that has got to be held with care."

Israel's foreign minister said there was no evidence of a Mossad link, but refused to issue a formal denial in line with a "policy of ambiguity" on security matters.

Avigdor Lieberman said he was sure Britain recognised Israel as a "responsible" country that held to "clear, cautious and responsible rules of the game".

But senior MPs said the country's history of assassinating Hamas members pointed to its possible involvement, and the Israeli ambassador to London should be invited to offer an explanation.

The former Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell said Israeli involvement would be "a serious violation of trust between nations".

"Given the current speculation, the Israeli government has some explaining to do and the ambassador should be summoned to the Foreign Office to do so in double-quick time," he said.

The Labour chairman of the Commons foreign affairs committee, Mike Gapes, said the case raised a "big concern" and backed the summoning of the ambassador if the UK suspected Israel.

The assassination was either carried out by Israel "or someone trying to make sure it looks like the Israelis", he said. "The British Government, if they are convinced it is Israel, should call the ambassador in."

While details such as names, numbers and dates of birth on the suspect passports matched the originals, the photographs, signatures and other details differed.

Some individuals reacted with horror at having their identities stolen. Israel-based Melvyn Mildiner, 31, who has a British and Israeli passport matching one released by Dubai police, said he had never been to Dubai and it was a "horrid" situation.

Kent-born Paul Keeley, 42, a builder who has lived on a northern Israel kibbutz for the past 15 years, said he had not left Israel for two years.