AS more information emerges about the assassination of the Hamas leader Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh last month in a Dubai hotel room, a picture of incredible ineptitude, confusion but possibly shocking and subversive creativity is emerging. That a leader of Hamas would travel about the region, especially to Dubai, which, in some ways, bears traits of a Cold War Berlin, without taking sufficient precautions and providing adequate security seems strikingly lackadaisical. Despite the organization's projected self-assuredness, it is hardly ignorant of the animosity directed toward it from various directions. Its leaders, one would think, were aware that their lives could be at risk just about anywhere. It was always obvious since the news broke out that it was a Mossad operation. Dubai police has confirmed it now. Lt. Gen. Dahi Khalfan Tamim was quoted as saying he was “99 percent, if not 100 percent” certain that Mossad was behind last month's slaying of Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh. Hamas's foremost enemy is the state of Israel, and for decades that entity has shown no reluctance to engage in pinpointed assassinations. And there is no doubt that the killing bears hallmarks of Mossad operations, particularly the use of foreign passports. The perpetrators were caught on surveillance videos and the names on the passports belonged to Israeli citizens, particularly people who held dual citizenship for Israel and the UK. Israelis have regularly demonstrated a disturbing acumen at carrying out undercover operations. In this case, names and photos of this crime's perpetrators became public through international news organizations immediately after news of the assassination was released. There is little doubt, however, that the coming months will bring some embarrassing revelations into the murky waters of espionage, counter-espionage and the crimes it spawns. __
