Dubai's top cop said yesterday he wants the head of Mossad arrested if the agency is shown to be behind the killing of a Hamas operative in the Gulf emirate.

"If the Mossad were proven to be behind the crime -- which is most likely now -- Interpol should issue a Red Notice for the head of the Mossad [Meir Dagan] because he would be a killer," Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan said in a television interview aired last night.

Red Notices are "to seek the arrest or provisional arrest of wanted persons with a view to extradition," according to the Interpol website.

Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, one of the founders of Hamas's military wing, was found dead in his Dubai hotel room on Jan. 20.

"I say Mossad now, after it was revealed that seven suspects have been living in Israel for years," Lt.-Gen. Khalfan said.

He called sending such a "huge number" of assassins to kill one man as the "utmost cowardice and weakness," and said there are others implicated in the killing who have yet to be publicly named.

He did not elaborate, except to say police had instructions from Dubai's ruler, Sheik Mohammed bin Rashed al-Maktoum, not to reveal anything until they were absolutely certain of it.

Referring to the Israeli secret service, he said "naturally, the side that carries out this kind of work in Israel is the

Mossad, which sends killing squads and groups for intimidation. It is not Peace Now," a reference to an Israeli group that supports reconciliation with the Palestinians.

"If Israel considers itself to be a state of law, where is the law in this kind of behaviour?" he asked.

He said Mr. Mabhouh, who was reportedly on a trip to buy arms for Hamas, was passing through Dubai on his way to China, then Sudan, and did not meet anyone in Dubai.

The police chief also criticized Mr. Mabhouh's handling of security, saying he did not take "the most elementary" precautions in travelling from his current home in Syria.

His bodyguards did not accompany him as they were unable to book tickets. By the time they arrived the following day he was already dead.

Yesterday, Interpol confirmed it had issued Red Notices for 11 suspects in Mr. Mabhouh's killing.

But from its Lyon, France headquarters, the international organization said it had not issued a Red Notice for Mr. Dagan.

The 65-year-old has kept mum over growing claims the Israeli espionage agency was behind the January assassination.

He has also ignored demands he step down over the incident, which put Israel in the hot seat.