
Ben Zygier
Screenshot: The Australian
Australia's foreign minister has confirmed for the first time that an Australian-Israeli man who mysteriously died in a maximum-security Israeli prison had been working for Israel's government.
But Foreign Minister Bob Carr did not say if Ben Zygier was working for the Mossad spy agency as has been reported.
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Carr stressed however, that Zygier was not connected to the 2010 assassination of Hamas henchman Mahmoud al-Mabhouh.
Video: Reuters (צילום: רויטרס)
Zygier died in an apparent suicide in his prison cell in December 2010. Israel has refused to release details even after lifting a gag order that kept local media from reporting on the case.
Carr warned on Wednesday that the case raises serious questions about the use of Australian passports by dual nationals working for a foreign government. Zygier had immigrated to Israel and held dual citizenship.
Carr said Australia will strongly protest if its passports were misused in Zygier's case.
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