Malaysia probes killing of Palestinian in a 'Mossad hit'

GOMBAK, Malaysia — An autopsy was being carried out yesterday on the body of a Palestinian professor who was gunned down in what his family claim was an assassination by Israel's Mossad spy agency.

Fadi Mohammad al-Batsh, 35, was killed in a drive-by shooting on Saturday, according to Malaysian authorities.

He was walking from his highrise apartment to dawn prayers at a local mosque in the Kuala Lumpur suburb of Gombak when he was shot by two gunmen riding a motorcycle, officials added.

At the crime scene, police markers indicated 14 bullets had been sprayed at the victim, some of them hitting a wall. An iron grill hit by a bullet was dented.

Malaysian Home Minister Ahmad ZahidHamidi, was quoted by the state-run Bernama news agency as saying Batsh was "an electrical engineer and an expert at making rockets."

Kuala Lumpur police chief MazlanLazim said the investigation was ongoing.

"We are investigating all angles. I have to investigate very carefully and deeply. This is an international issue," Mazlan said Sunday.

He said the autopsy was being carried out at a hospital after which the body would be released to the family.

In a statement from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, the victim's family said: "We accuse the Mossad of being behind the assassination."

The Islamist Palestinian movement said Batsh, a research scientist specializing in energy issues, was one of its members.

Mohammad Shedad, 17, a student and a relative of the victim, also blamed Mossad for the killing.