Home Join us on the new DiggFollow us on TwitterFollow us on Facebook

Germany blames Poland for releasing murder suspect

Calcutta News.Net
Monday 16th August, 2010

Share this page

A breakthrough in the Dubai assassination, the arrest of a suspect, Uri Brodsky, by Interpol in Warsaw. Germany demanded extradition, but once they got him Brodsky was promptly released. He is now free in Israel.
Dubai Police solved a major crime in breath-taking style and speed earlier this year.

It identified 27 suspects in an elaborate assassination of a Hamas commander in a Dubai hotel in January. Most of those suspects, which Dubai Police say were acting on behalf of the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, had entered the UAE on false passports, illegally obtained through forged documents and identity theft from countries such as the UK, Germany and Australia.

Only one of those involved in the passport fraud has been arrested. Germany had issued a European-wide arrest warrant for Uri Brodsky which was picked up by Interpol. Poland nabbed Brodsky at Warsaw's Fryderyk Chopin Airport on June 4 and Germany demanded his extradition.

Poland complied and deported Brodsky to Germany. To the shock of many, particularly Dubai Police, Brodsky was freed on bail on Friday and within 24 hours was back in Israel.

Brodsky, in addition to charges related to the Dubai assassination, was wanted by Germany for espionage. Federal prosecutors however stood by late last week allowing a minor charge related to the passport fraud to be filed in Cologne. The Cologne prosecutor announced Monday he was not influenced by any political pressure. It appears Warsaw restricted the deportation of Brodsky to the passport charge, which appears to have been downgraded significantly since it was considered serious enough to justify an Interpol arrest warrant requested by Germany.

Germany was the only country not to protest when the assassination drama unfolded and the extent of stolen identities and passport fraud surfaced. Britain and Australia both summoned the Israeli ambassador to express their indignation over the affair. Both countries then expelled an envoy. Germany however did not even summon the Israeli ambassador to discuss the matter.

Germany went to a great deal of trouble to obtain the deportation of Brodsky only to try him on a minor charge and release him, allowing him to return to Israel. Poland too appeared to be part of the arrangements by restricting the type of charge Germany could bring. Both countries deny they acted under any political pressure. There is no explanation as to why the minor charge was issued by Cologne, and not federal prosecutors who appeared to make no effort to detain Brodsky for the other equally-serious charges related to espionage that he is wanted for in Germany. Nor was there any opportunity for Dubai Police to apply for deportation, or even question Brodsky over his part in the Dubai murder, despite Germany’s indications in February that it would join international efforts to resolve the crime. When Germany issued the extradition order, the German federal prosecutor’s office said Mr Brodsky was “under urgent suspicion of cooperating in obtaining the passport in Germany”.

So why were no charges brought by the federal prosecutor? And why was a minor charge filed in Cologne which allowed Brodsky to be released on bail? Is there any question at all that Brodsky will return to Cologne to face the minor charge filed against him?

These are questions the international community are asking, despite the Cologne prosecutor’s statement there was no political pressure. It could well be he is right. Cologne was merely a pawn in the process which more than likely was orchestrated by Warsaw and Berlin, at the behest of Tel Aviv.
 

Share this page



Have your say on this story

Your nickname (required)
Message
Top Stories