On January 19, 2010, at about 4 p.m.

Muhammad al-Mabruch checked into the 5-star Al-Bustan-Rutana hotel in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates most populous city.

He didn't notice the two individuals dressed in tennis attire who were following him.

When Alma Pucht travelled away from Syria, where he was residing, he was usually accompanied by several bodyguards,

and for a good reason.

Maphuch was the chief of logistics and weapon procurement for Hamas the Palestinian terrorist organization.

He was also responsible for the killing and murder of two Israeli soldiers in 1989.

But that afternoon in Dubai, Alma Puch was alone,

because according to news reports,

for some mysterious reason, his bodyguards could not get tickets for the same flight and were scheduled to join him the next day.

A short time after checking into the hotel, Alma Puch left to do some shopping in the city.

While he was away, someone reprogrammed his room's electronic door lock.

A short time later, four men stepped out of the elevator

at the hotel's second floor. Alma Puhk came back to his room at around 8.30 p.m.

The following morning a hotel maid who tried to open his door

found that it was locked from the inside.

When Alma Pch's room was finally opened, his body was discovered on the bed with a small bottle of

medicine placed on the drawer next to it.

It took 10 long days for the Emirati police to come to the conclusion

that the senior Hamas operative did not take his own life but was in fact

assassinated by the Israeli Mossad. Muhammad bin Zayad, the UAE's president, was furious at Israel and ordered all the clandestine

security ties between the two countries to be severed.

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