Israel dismisses claims that Mossad killed Palestinian activist in Malaysia
Israel’s defence minister has dismissed claims that Israel assassinated a Palestinian Hamas member and scholar who was shot dead in Malaysia.
Avigdor Lieberman said it was more likely Fadi al-Batsh, 35, was killed on Saturday as part of “an internal Palestinian dispute.” He also added that al-Batsh who was a scientist, was a "rocket expert and no saint”.
The academic’s family had blamed the Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency, for orchestrating the assassination.
"There are accusations only against the Israeli Mossad and the Malaysian government should accelerate the investigation," al-Batsh's father, Mohamed said.
The Palestinian was killed by two assailants as he was heading to a mosque for dawn prayers, according to local police.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Seri Mazlan Lazim said one of the suspects "fired 10 shots, four of which hit the lecturer in the head and body. He died on the spot."
Police said CCTV footage showed him being targeted by gunmen who had waited almost 20 minutes for him to arrive.
On Sunday, the inspector general of the Malaysian police, Mohamad Fuzi Harun, said a comprehensive investigation was ongoing. He added that no clear motive had emerged and no arrests have been made so far.
“Was he killed by a live bullet? My answer is yes. The post-mortem is ongoing now; we will give details later," he said.
Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Malaysia's deputy prime minister, said the suspects were believed to be Europeans with links to a foreign intelligence agency, according to state news agency Bernama.
The militant group, Hamas, described al-Batsh on Twitter as a “young Palestinian scholar from Jabalia in the Gaza Strip."
It added: "He was a distinguished scientist who contributed to the energy sector.”
On Saturday they tweeted photos from the condolences tent set up for al-Batsh.
The Iz-al Din al Qassam brigade, the Islamic movement’s militant wing, also held a memorial, which suggested al-Batsh was one of its military commanders, the Associated Press reported.
Al-Batsh was also known as a ‘second’ imam at his local mosque and had been reportedly been living in Malaysia for the past 10 years. He is survived by his wife and three children.
