German gov’t ignores Israeli requests to block extradition from Poland of Uri Brodsky, alleged Israeli spy suspected of procuring a passport for the assassins of a top Hamas official, according to German press reports.

By Haaretz Service

The German government has said it will not intervene to stop an investigation into a suspected Mossad spy linked to the assassination of a Hamas official in Dubai, despite pressure from Israel, a German newspaper reported on Saturday.

A German official told Der Spiegel his ministry was united in the belief that any investigation into Uri Brodsky should be “dealt with according to purely judicial considerations”.

Brodsky, who was wanted by German authorities, was arrested on June 4 at an airport in the Polish capital Warsaw, provoking strong protests from Israeli diplomats. He is suspected of helping to procure a German passport for the killers of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, assassinated in a Dubai hotel room on January 19.

But despite Israel’s demands, Germany will not invoke a law citing “overwhelming public interest” to halt the investigation into Brodsky’s role in the killing.

The German government has asked Poland to extradite Brodsky for trial in Germany, something Israel had sought to prevent.

“Our obligation is to protect him from extradition to Germany,” Israeli Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry Benjamin Ben-Eliezer told Der Spiegel. “But even if he does stand trial in Germany, it won’t compromise the good relations between Israel and Germany.”

Brodsky is suspected of using a lawyer in the German city of Cologne to acquire the passport, and is believed to have traveled there in March 2009, using the cover name Alexander Verin. Credit cards used during his trip were also used by him under the name Brodsky, investigators say.