Mahmoud al-Mabhouh
Photo: AFP
'Bodenheimer's identity stolen'
Report: Mabhouh assassination suspect arrested in Poland
Uri Brodsky, arrested on German warrant in Warsaw airport, is suspected of aiding January 19 assassination of Hamas commander by illegally obtaining German passport
An Israeli man suspected of aiding the assassination of Hamas commander Mahmoud al-Mabhouh has been arrested in Poland at Germany's behest, AFP reported Saturday.
The report is based on a Der Spiegel article scheduled to be published Monday. Israel's Foreign Ministry said Saturday it was aware of the arrest.
International Ripples
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Brodsky was detained with an international arrest warrant, which was issued by Berlin after the government learned that at least one German passport was used during the Dubai assassination plot five months ago.
"Now the Polish must decide whether to extradite him to Germany," said an official with the German Justice Ministry.
The report adds that Brodsky was arrested a month ago, upon landing at Warsaw's international airport. He is alleged to be one of the participants in the January 19 assassination, of which the Mossad is now widely accused.
Dubai Police published a preliminary list of 26 suspects, all of whom were carrying fraudulent documents, but has since increased the list to 33. Of them, 13 carried British passports, six Irish, four French, three Australian, and one German.
The German investigation was said to have lasted a few months, during which it was discovered that the passport was issued to a man named Michael Bodenheimer in 2008.
Bodenheimer was said to have requested the passport on the basis of his residency in Germany and a wedding certificate belonging to his parents, who he claimed were persecuted there by the Nazis.
In February Der Spiegel reported that the German passport used in Dubai was real, but that the actual Michael Bodenheimer was an Orthodox Jew residing in Bnei Brak and that his identity had been stolen.
His wife told Ynet that the family had never visited Germany, and that no official authority had contacted Bodenheimer on the matter. She added that they remained unfazed by the affair.
Roni Sofer contributed to the report
