November 24 (UPI) — Zvi Kogan, an Israeli rabbi who had been missing since Thursday in Dubai, was discovered dead on Sunday, officials revealed. Three persons have been arrested in connection with his murder.

“Tragically, Kogan’s body was recovered by Emirati authorities early Sunday morning, and his family was notified,” a statement from the Hasidic Jewish movement Chabad said. Israeli officials said Kogan was assassinated and attributed his death to “terrorism.” “With great pain we share that Rabbi Zvi Kogan, Chabad-Lubavitch emissary to Abu Dhabi, U.A.E., was murdered by terrorists after being abducted on Thursday,” the group said in a statement.

Three suspects have been captured in the UAE in connection with the rabbi’s murder, according to a statement from the Middle Eastern country’s interior ministry. The defendants’ identity and the circumstances surrounding their arrest were not revealed, but the ministry indicated that the arrests were the outcome of an inquiry begun after receiving a missing person report for the dead rabbi. “The Ministry reiterated the UAE’s unwavering capability to decisively address any attempts to undermine the security and stability of its society,” according to the statement.

Officials in the UAE stated Saturday that they were looking for the missing rabbi. A senior official attempted to separate the UAE from the incident, claiming it is a “safe place.” “With the determination and resolve of its leadership and people, the UAE will remain a safe haven, an oasis of stability, and a society of tolerance and coexistence,” wrote Anwar Gargash, the Emirati president’s foreign adviser, on social media. According to Chabad, Rabbi Kogan worked “for several years in establishing and expanding Jewish life in the Emirates.” His wife, Rivky, joined him there after their marriage in 2022, according to the movement’s statement.

The Israeli government has stated that it has information indicating that the death was a “terrorism” incident, but has not provided any details. Israel has not revealed who may have been behind the incident, although it has accused Iran and its proxies of attempting to kill Israelis overseas. During the search for the missing rabbi, the Emirati government made no mention of Kogan’s Israeli nationality, instead referring to his Moldovan citizenship. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to Kagan’s murder as “a despicable antisemitic terrorist attack,” notwithstanding the lack of evidence that the attack was motivated by antisemitism. He assured his cabinet ministers that Israel would “exact justice” on those guilty.