A further forged Irish passport was used by a team of assassins who murdered a senior Hamas official in Dubai, it was revealed tonight.
The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed a stolen passport number was used by one of 15 new suspects linked to the assassination of Mahmoud al Mabhouh last month.
They were using British, French, Irish and Australian documents - the first time a passport from a non-EU country has been linked to the killing.
A total number of six Irish passports were used by the suspected assassins.
In Cairo, Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin said the revelation heightened concerns.
“It’s also clear that there has been an escalation in the estimated number of counterfeit passports which also involve our European partners and now Australia as well,” Mr Martin said.
“We condemn without reservation the use of fake documents which I think generally now casts a shadow over the authentic documentation generally.
“This is a global issue now, it’s a worldwide issue, not just a European issue.”
The State's ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Ciaran Madden was briefed by authorities in Dubai on the additional passport.
The total number of fake documents linked to the killing is 26. Authorities said 12 were travelling on fake British passports and others on French and Australian.
Those travelling on Irish passports were named as Evan Dennings, Kevin Daveron, Gail Folliard, Anna Shauna Clasby, Chester Halvey and Ivy Brinton.
As in the five previous Irish cases the number and expiry date of the latest passport were authentic, but the name did not match.
The Irish passport holder has been notified and has been issued with new documents.
Al-Mabhouh, who founded Hamas’s military wing, was killed in his hotel room on January 19th.
It is thought he was trailed to his room by members of the hit squad who wore fake beards, wigs and other disguises.
Dubai officials have said they are “99 per cent certain” that Mossad was behind the murder, although Tel Aviv has refused to confirm or deny the link.
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Israel’s Ambassador to Ireland Dr Zion Evrony have both told the Government they have no information about the killing or the forged documents.
Mr Martin said he would await the outcome of the investigation before taking any further steps as new information is continually emerging.
“There has been a pattern of additional information on a fairly regular basis so there may be more information yet,” the minister said.
“The investigation is by no means complete. We would expect that all countries would cooperate with the Dubai authorities.” It also emerged yesterday that the address of a Dublin property owned by James Reynolds, the brother of former taoiseach Albert Reynolds and father of music promoter John Reynolds, was given to a hotel by one of the original five suspects.
Kevin Daveron said he lived at 6 Elgin Road in Dublin 4.
Fine Gael’s foreign affairs spokesman Billy Timmins called on the Minister to use “all the resources of the State” and work with EU partners to establish facts of passport breach.
“The Minister must avail of all the security and diplomatic resources at his disposal to establish how bona fide Irish passport numbers fell into the hands of people accused of assassinating a Hamas leader.”
He added: “As soon as any information comes to light, Minister Martin must brief the members of the Dáil on a matter that concerns the security of Irish citizens overseas and the status of Irish passports.”
Labour TD Joe Costello said Ireland and the EU must insist that Israel make a “categorical statement” regarding any involvement. Mr Costello accused Israel of treating European concerns “flippantly”.