A man claiming to be a former member of an “underground organisation” in the UAE, appeared on a Sharjah TV programme on Friday, in which he accused Qatar of involvement in seditious activities in the Emirates.
Abdel Rahman Al Suwaidi said he worked for several charitable bodies in the UAE as a cover, but had to flee the country when the authorities disbanded the underground organisation. He fled to Yemen, then Turkey and finally Indonesia, where he was arrested and extradited to the UAE. The name of the underground organisation was not given and there is no indication of whether Al Suwaidi remained in custody.
According to Al Suwaidi, “There is an underground group here in the UAE. We speak of an ideology, not practices. But when a fatwa comes from Al Qaradawi, they are ready to act.” He was referring to Yusuf Al Qaradawi, the head of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, who is based in Qatar.
Al Suwaidi also alleged that groups in Europe, including Muslim immigrants and European Muslims, receive material support from Qatar. Funding, he said, went into the establishment of Muslim centres and summer camps in Belgium and Switzerland. These, according to Al Suwaidi, were “also vehicles for the extremist ideology spread by Al Qaradawi.”
In addition, Al Suwaidi claimed that the May 22 terrorist attack at a pop concert in Manchester, northern England was connected to the Muslim Brotherhood. “Investigations have revealed that the perpetrators belong to one of those groups that met in one of the mosques linked to the Muslim Brotherhood.”
Twenty-three people died in that suicide bombing.
Al Suwaidi further claimed that the “coordination office for the Muslim Brotherhood in the GCC has links to Iran and receives funding from Qatar.”
He went on to say, “Extremism can only grow and thrive in a favourable environment. Qatar is the safe haven they found. These extremists have reportedly entered Qatar, resided there, stayed in hotels, held meetings there to discuss the Arab Spring, the Syrian crisis.”
Al Suwaidi said he appeared on the programme to share his experience and warn others against being influenced by radical groups.
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About Krews
Founder: Ahmed Al Qubaisi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Founded: January 2019
Number of employees: 10
Sector: Technology/Social media
Funding to date: Estimated $300,000 from Hub71 in-kind support
THE SPECS – Honda CR-V Touring AWD
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder
Power: 184hp at 6,400rpm
Torque: 244Nm at 3,900rpm
Transmission: Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
0-100kmh in 9.4 seconds
Top speed: 202kmh
Fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km
Price: From Dh122,900
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Panipat
Director Ashutosh Gowariker
Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment
Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman
Rating 3 /5 stars
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
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Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
