ABU DHABI // Dubai's police chief said he received death threats after he revealed the identities of 40 Mossad agents involved in the assassination of Mahmoud Al Mabhouh in 2010.
Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim, who has been chief of police since 1980, made the revelation yesterday to the Kuwaiti newspaper, Al Anba.
"A source from a European country confirmed to me that immediately after the operation, seven officers from the Mossad were forced into retirement for failing to pull off the operation in complete secrecy," said Gen Tamim.
"The one who threatened me is one of the officers forced into retirement."
He said the threats came by email and through a message given to an acquaintance. "[He] called a retired officer who is friend of mine and told him: 'Tell Dahi to keep quiet'."
Dubai should not be seen as less secure after the murder of Al Mabhouh, Gen Tamim said.
"Some said Mossad succeeded by killing Al Mabhouh in Dubai," he said. "To these people I say: 'Yes, they succeeded because Al Mabhouh was alone, unarmed and failed to take security measures'. And so he was killed because the operation was very easy."
Gen Tamim also spoke about tension with Iran over the Arabian Gulf islands and reiterated that they were Emirati land.
"Historically speaking, Alexander of Macedon invaded and occupied Iran," he said. "Does this mean Iran is Macedonian?
"Negotiation is our policy to settle this issue. But if Iran fails to comply with the decision of the international court within 10 years, there will be a pan-Arab boycott."
After 30 years, Gen Tamim, 62, said he has no plan to retire. He said he would continue to work in line with the policy of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, that "as long as a man is productive, his presence will benefit the job".
"No one should think that I am clinging to my job with my teeth," he said. "Inshallah, some day I will leave this job with my head up and with clean hands at the height of my performance."