Ynet News: Australian police ‘hit and run’ in Israel
Three officers visiting Israel to question Israelis whose passports were allegedly used in Dubai hit get into road accident with Tel Aviv bicyclist, keep driving. Australian embassy says looking into incident
Ynet
Published: 03.04.10, 09:21 / Israel News
Members of the Australian police force, visiting Israel in order to question three Israelis whose forged Australian passports were used in the assassination of Hamas strongman Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai, were allegedly involved in a hit-and-run accident with a cyclist in Tel Aviv just hours after landing in the country, according to a report Wednesday in Australian ABC.
According to the report, the officers did not stop to offer help to the woman on the bike.
The network reported that the three police officers arrived in Israel in order to investigate the use of three Israelis’ passports: Adam Marcus Korman, Joshua Daniel Bruce, and Nicole Sandra McCabe. They spent the day in the Australian Embassy in Tel Aviv, where they were slated to interview the three Israelis, all of whom hold dual citizenship.
When they left the embassy building, their vehicle, with a diplomatic license plate, hit a bicyclist. The Australian police, however, kept on driving without stopping.
While the cyclist was not hurt, she would like a apology from the Australian Embassy over the issue, and a new wheel for her bike. According to her, she already contacted a lawyer on the matter.
The Australian Embassy said that it is investigating the incident, but that the woman has yet to file a formal complaint, and, as such, it cannot confirm that the accident indeed took place. No comment has yet to be received from the Australian police. The Australian news report stated that the three officers were traveling in a Toyota.
An Australian Embassy spokeswoman told The Australian newspaper that the issue at hand is a serious one. When asked what the driver said about the incident, she said she did not find it fitting to discuss the investigation before it has been completed.
Australia’s government called in Israel’s ambassador after three people travelling on Australian passports were named as suspects in the assassination. According to The Australian website, Ambassador Yuval Rotem was called in by Foreign Minister Stephen Smith.
“Any state that has been complicit in use or abuse of the Australian passport system, let alone for the conduct of an assassination, is treating Australia with contempt and there will therefore be action by the Australian government in response,” said Smith.
