Fifteen new suspects have been identified in the assassination of a Hamas official at a Dubai luxury hotel, bringing the total number of people believed involved in the killing to 26, the government said Wednesday.
Hamas military commander Mahmoud al-Mabhouh was killed last month in his hotel room in what Dubai police have said they are near certain was an Israeli hit. They said the killers traveled to Dubai on European passports.
Of the new suspects, six carried British passports, three held Irish documents, three Australian, and three French, the Dubai government's media office said in an emailed statement.
The statement said police had traced the new suspects' movements before and after the killing.
"The suspects gathered in Dubai and dispersed to various locations before pairing up again in different teams and heading off to other destinations," the statement said.
It included passport details including photographs of what the police described as the "Wanted 26."
However the statement added: "Friendly nations who have been assisting in this investigation have indicated to the police in Dubai that the passports were issued in an illegal and fraudulent manner, adding that the pictures on the travel documents did not correspond to the original owners."
Dubai police said the newly named suspects provided "logistical support."
Credit cards issued by U.S. bank The statement also said investigators had discovered that 14 of the suspects had used credit cards issued by MetaBank, which is based in the United States.
"The cards were used to book hotel rooms and pay for air travel," the statement added.
Police said it was possible that more than 26 people could have been involved.
Dubai authorities last week released the identities of 11 people whom they said traveled on fraudulent British, Irish, French and German passports to kill Mabhouh. They also issued passport photos and closed-circuit television footage of the suspects.
Two Palestinians suspected of providing logistical support are in custody.
The use of passports from European Union countries by the killers has drawn censure from the E.U.
Dubai has accused Israel of being behind the assassination, but the Israeli foreign minister has said there was no proof his country carried out the killing.
