Two notorious Swedish criminal gangs have been named as the groups recruited by Iran to carry out attacks on Israeli and Iranian dissidents.
Foxtrot is led by Rawa Majid, known as the Kurdish Fox, while his former criminal associate, Ismail Abdo, leads the Rumba organisation. The rival gangs are wanted by the authorities in Sweden on suspicion of ordering killings in a brutal turf war for the country's drugs market.
Exposed by Mossad
The recruitment of criminal gangs by Iran was revealed by Sweden’s Sapo counter-intelligence service. Israel’s Mossad agency named Majid and Abdo, along with their criminal networks, as the groups used by Tehran.
Swedish politician Alireza Akhondi, who was born in Iran and is a vocal critic of the regime, said he believed the gangs were linked to Tehran through the drug smuggling activities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Mr Akhondi, who is a Swedish MP for the Centre Party, told The National he was “not surprised” at the Iranian recruitment of the criminals.
“We know that the IRGC is controlling the narcotics groups inside Iran, so using criminals like Rawa Majid, who is wanted for massive drug dealing in Sweden, makes a lot of sense,” he said.
He said that, rather than the criminals being blackmailed into working with Iran, it was “100 per cent a collaboration”.
Mr Akhondi said the Iranian regime was determined to silence its critics and dissidents abroad and he feared he might be on a list of targets. “I’m quite sure my personal safety is compromised,” he said.
Iran's focus on targets abroad
Concern is growing that Tehran could be forging a new nexus of extremism and crime, as it did with Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which is suspected of being involved in criminal activity, including drugs.
Iran has become increasingly aggressive towards critics of the regime who live abroad, with employees of the Iran International TV channel in London warned of plots to kill them. A Chechen-born Austrian citizen was recruited by Iran to carry out reconnaissance in a failed plot to kill two presenters on the channel.
Eastern European criminals were reportedly hired by Iran to attack Pouria Zeraati, who was stabbed outside his home.
But the linking of Majid and Abdo to attacks on Israeli targets marks the first time the names of criminals and organisations recruited by Iran have been revealed.
Mark Dubowitz, chief executive of the Foundation for the Defence of Democracies think tank in Washington, said Iran “has mounted all manner of outrages on European soil – and not recoiled at using the most unsavoury of executioners to do so”.
“The conjunction of crime and terror, witnessed in full bloom with Hezbollah in Lebanon, must not be allowed to continue to threaten the West,” he said.
How can it be stopped?
Sweden summoned an Iranian envoy on Friday after the intelligence service in Stockholm went public with the claim that Iran "is using criminal networks in Sweden to carry out acts of violence".
The Swedish connection could potentially give the EU a legal basis to list the IRGC as a terrorist group, if a link can be established, said Jason Brodsky of the United Against Nuclear Iran campaign group.
The EU has evaded demands to list the IRGC by saying it must first have been formally linked to terrorism by a European state, with lawyers also studying Iran’s involvement in an arson plot against a German synagogue.
A German court ruled last year that a fugitive Hell's Angel, who arranged the bungled arson plot, was acting on orders from "Iranian state agencies", in what judges called an "escalation" of the country's secret activities in Europe.
In the Swedish case, Mr Brodsky said “there are some questions we need answers to – who are the handlers for the criminal gangs in question in Tehran? Is it the Ministry of Intelligence? Or the IRGC?”
“Both entities are part of Iran’s security services and both conduct external operations. That answer is directly relevant of course to whether this case provides grounds for an EU terrorism sanction."
What is known about Majid and Abdo?
Majid, 37, was born in Iran but his family settled in the city Uppsala in Sweden, where he became involved in crime. He was convicted at age 19 of burglary and cigarette smuggling, before he moved on to drug dealing.
Majid was jailed for eight years after drugs were found in his garage by police, but he still managed to build up an extensive criminal network and has been a key player in the escalating gang violence in Sweden.
He left the country in 2018 for Turkey, where he was able to obtain citizenship as a result of investment in the country. Swedish authorities have called for him to be extradited.
He has been accused of directing the killing of a gang rival in Sweden last year. He was later arrested by Iranian police near the Turkish border.
Majid has been involved in a turf war with Abdo, who has also been living in Turkey, where he was arrested last week. One of his gang allegedly killed a member of Majid’s organisation in March in revenge for an attack carried out in a cafe in Istanbul, Turkish media reported.
Mr Akhondi described the criminals as “violent and ruthless" and said more should be done to help Sweden bring them to justice. “From the Swedish perspective, there is concern that gang leaders seem to have really comfortable lives in Turkey and Turkish security doesn’t seem to do anything about it,” he said.
The violence recently took a turn when gang members' families and loved ones also become targets.
Abdo’s mother was shot dead in Uppsala last year, a killing Majid is suspected of ordering in retaliation for one of his gang being attacked in Turkey. Majid’s mother-in-law survived an attempt to kill her.
Two teenage boys were detained for the killing of Abdo’s murder. The two criminals have used teenagers in attacks, including violence carried out on behalf of Iran.
Children recruited
Dozens of Iran-backed plots against Jewish and Israeli targets have been uncovered in recent months, with many involving local criminal networks, Mossad said.
Gunshots were recently reported near the Israeli embassy in Sweden and a 14-year-old boy was detained.
Criminologist Manne Gerell told The National that children were used by gangs because they could not be convicted by a court until they are 15, and would receive light sentences if they are under 18.
Recruitment sometimes takes place informally, as children progress from “hanging out” with criminals to being asked to carry out gang work, said Mr Gerell, an associate professor.
But “in recent years we’ve also seen recruitment taking place on social media” by the gangs, he said.
“They use mobile apps to ask for kids who want to get involved, who for instance want to take a contract to shoot someone or to bomb some place. Then it can be a really fast recruitment process, where kids go from being completely unknown to the police to shooting people in a matter of weeks or months.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The lowdown
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PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results
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Winner Jap Al Afreet, Elione Chaves, Irfan Ellahi.
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Winner MH Tawag, Bernardo Pinheiro, Elise Jeanne.
4pm Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 2,000m
Winner Skygazer, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
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Winner AF Kal Noor, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
5pm Sharjah Marathon (PA) Dh70,000 2,700m
Winner RB Grynade, Bernardo Pinheiro, Eric Lemartinel.
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
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Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
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What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – UAE won by 36 runs
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company
The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier
Results
UAE beat Saudi Arabia by 12 runs
Kuwait beat Iran by eight wickets
Oman beat Maldives by 10 wickets
Bahrain beat Qatar by six wickets
Semi-finals
UAE v Qatar
Bahrain v Kuwait
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
If you go
Flight connections to Ulaanbaatar are available through a variety of hubs, including Seoul and Beijing, with airlines including Mongolian Airlines and Korean Air. While some nationalities, such as Americans, don’t need a tourist visa for Mongolia, others, including UAE citizens, can obtain a visa on arrival, while others including UK citizens, need to obtain a visa in advance. Contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UAE for more information.
Nomadic Road offers expedition-style trips to Mongolia in January and August, and other destinations during most other months. Its nine-day August 2020 Mongolia trip will cost from $5,250 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, vehicle rental, fuel, third party vehicle liability insurance, the services of a guide and support team, accommodation, food and entrance fees; nomadicroad.com
A fully guided three-day, two-night itinerary at Three Camel Lodge costs from $2,420 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, accommodation, meals and excursions including the Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs. A return internal flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad costs $300 per person and the flight takes 90 minutes each way; threecamellodge.com
