British lawyer Tayab Ali takes up case of Al Mabhouh family

A British human rights lawyer Tayab Ali of Irvine Thanvi Natas solicitors has been appointed by the family of the assassinated Hamas leader Mahmoud Al Mabhouh to pursue legal action in the British court. Several persons using forged British passports were involved in the killing. Al Mabhouh was murdered in a Dubai hotel room in January 2010 by an assassination squad linked to the Israeli foreign intelligence, Mossad. MEMO has learnt that the Dubai authorities have recently issued a warrant for the arrest of a British suspect whose passport was thought to be genuine.

Press Statement

Release date: 15/06/2010 (immediate)

The family of Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh welcomes the arrest in Poland of a suspected member of the team responsible for his murder. Mrs Al- Mabhouh and her family urge the Polish authorities to expedite the extradition of the suspect to Germany to face trial.

Mrs Al-Mabhouh has instructed Tayab Ali partner at London civil liberty law firm Irvine Thanvi Natas to investigate the murder of Mahmoud and present a complaint to the UK’s Serious and Organised Crime Agency.

On 17th February 2010 the former Prime Minister announced an investigation into the use of counterfeit British passports in the murder of Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh.

The former Foreign Secretary reported to Parliament on 24th March 2010 that the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) had completed their investigation and concluded that there is ‘compelling evidence’ linking the Israeli authorities to the ‘intolerable’ abuse of British passports in connection with the assassination of Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh.

At that time SOCA was reported to have concluded that all 12 British passports were the subject of passport fraud and the original passport holders were themselves innocent victims. Since that announcement, the investigation conducted by the Dubai police has led to an arrest warrant being issued for the arrest of British citizen Christopher Lockwood. Lockwood is suspected by the Dubai authorities of being involved in the Murder of Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh.

Tayab Ali, the solicitor for Samira Al-Mabhouh, said:

‘the targeted killing of Mahmoud is unacceptable and a clear criminal act. Those responsible should be arrested and tried for murder.’

He further said:

‘the rule of law is fundamentally important to the civilised world. If a state suspects criminality on the part of a person, that person should be arrested and put on trial. It would never be acceptable to summarily execute a suspect.’

Press Release Ends

Notes to Editor

1. Tayab Ali is a solicitor advocate and partner of London law firm Irvine Thanvi Natas. Tayab heads the Specialist Cases Unit (SCU). The SCU is a legal department that advises on complex national and international legal issues.

2. For details of Christopher Lockwood see Red Notice issued by Interpol http://www.interpol.int/public/Data/Wanted/Notices/Data/2010/48/2010_22248.asp An Interpol Red Notice is not an international arrest warrant. The persons concerned are wanted by national jurisdictions (or the International Criminal Tribunals, where appropriate) and Interpol’s role is to assist the national police forces in identifying or locating those persons with a view to their arrest and extradition.

Contact:

Tayab Ali Office: 020 8522 7707
Email: [email protected]