Fawzi Barhoum says members of PA aided Mossad in Dubai assassination

NEW YORK, Feb. 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- WABC radio host Aaron Klein confronted Fawzi Barhoum, the spokesman of Hamas, on his show yesterday about whether the assassination in Dubai of one of his group's leaders scares Hamas members into thinking they could be targeted next.

"You're a member of Hamas.  Are you afraid? Are other members of your group afraid of being assassinated by Israel?" asked Aaron Klein on WABC.

"This is a professional assassination and the video has been posted on the Internet.  Does this scare you?" Klein asked.

"No, no we are not afraid because we are not leaving Gaza," Barhoum replied. "But finally if the Arab community could be in deep silence about all of these crimes committed by the occupation (Israel), everything will be dangerous.  Not only for Hamas, but it will be dangerous for the Arabs and Islamists and that community."

Hamas member Mahmoud al-Mabhough was assassinated by a hit team in a Dubai hotel on Jan 19.  Israel has accused him of working with Iran to coordinate attacks against Israelis and smuggle weapons into the Gaza strip.

Barhoum told WABC listeners that he is sure Israel's Mossad intelligence agency was responsible for the assassination, "because Mossad is the only one who could commit this crime in Dubai."

Barhoum also said Hamas has information indicating members of the Palestinian Authority, headed by rival Mahmoud Abbas, aided in the targeted elimination.

"There are two factors from our investigation related to the PA," Barhoum said. "There are Arabs in Dubai and they are involved in the assassination, they assist.  Two persons are from the PA and who were until now in Dubai."

Asked about the accusation that Mabhough was working for Iran, Barhoum said "This is not true.  The occupation wants to withdraw responsibility of this crime by these false accusations."  

A senior EU diplomat told the Associated Press that Israel's suspected role in the slaying of Mabhough and the assassins' alleged use of forged EU passports will harm Israel's relations with the European bloc.

M. Sliwa Public Relations, 973-272-2861, media@msliwa.com

SOURCE Aaron Klein

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