By Wayne Flower and Elissa Doherty From: Herald Sun February 25, 2010 3:01pm
Like the two other Australian suspects, Bruce Joshua Daniel has Melbourne on his passport. It is not known whether the assassins forged or stole the identities / AFP
Aussie suspect "baffled by identity fraud"
Mum fears for his life
"He's not involved in anything"
THE mother of a Melbourne man named as a suspect in the killing of a Hamas militant fears her son's life has been put in danger.
Three Australians were today among the 15 new names suspected of killing Mahmud al-Mabhuh in a luxury hotel in Dubai in January.
Melburnians Nicole Sandra McCabe, Adam Marcus Korman and Joshua Daniel Bruce were all named on the list.
Mr Bruce’s mother Sarah said she was shocked to hear her son had been linked to the assassination, the Herald Sun reports.
Mother: That is not my son
"It's a complete surprise for us," she said.
"We’ve spoken to him and he’s also totally surprised."
Mrs Bruce said although the passport bears the name of her son, the photograph, date of birth and signature were not his.
Her son, who has been studying Judaism in Jerusalem for the past seven years, told his mother he was baffled at how the assassins stole his identity.
"There is no explanation. It’s fraud that his passport has been used," she said.
"That’s not my son."
Mrs Bruce said she now feared for her son’s safety.
"(We hope) there are no repercussions. That’s the main thing," she said.
"He’s not involved in anything."
Mrs Bruce said she was unsure if her son had been contacted by Australian federal police or police abroad.
"We have to sit back as see what happens," she said.
"There is nothing we can do. It’s up to the government I suppose."
Passports of suspects
Mrs Bruce said she hoped whoever was responsible for the theft was promptly brought to justice.
"I'd like them caught so that it doesn’t happen to anyone else," she said.
The mother of Nicole McCabe this morning revealed her daughter had been living in Israel for the past three years and was due to have a baby shortly.
Ms McCabe's mother this morning told of her shock at hearing her daughter was a suspect in the assassination.
She said she had been in contact with her daughter.
"I don't know how they got that name, I don't know anything," she said.
Fellow suspect Adam Korman, 34, who is Australian-born but lives in Tel Aviv, has also spoken of his shock at being named by authorities.
Mr Korman, who sells musical instruments in the Israeli city, told Israel's biggest newspaper Yediot Aharonot he was shocked over what had happened.
"It's identity theft, simply unbelievable," he said.
"It's a violation of human rights to do such a thing. I have travelled all over the world but never visited Dubai or the United Arab Emirates.
"I have been frightened and shocked since receiving the news."
The Government today summonsed to Israeli ambassador to Parliament House after the Australian link was revealed.
ASIO and the Australian Federal Police are investigating the Australian link, but Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said there was nothing to suggest the three Australians were anything other than victims of passport or identity fraud.
He stressed Australia had not made any final conclusion and was not at this stage blaming Israel for the passport fraud but he told the ambassador Australia expected the full co-operation from the Israeli government and its officials.
No comments:
Post a Comment