Gulf media has reported that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has said that it welcomed the statement by the Kuwaiti Prime Minister on the alleged collaboration of Kuwaitis with what is said to be a Muslim Brotherhood cell in the UAE. According to a Gulf News report:
17:24 March 30, 2013 Abu Dhabi: The UAE has welcomed the statement of Shaikh Jaber Al Mubarak Al Sabah, Kuwait’s Prime Minister, on collaboration of some Kuwaitis with the Muslim Brotherhood Cell in the UAE, known locally as the secret organisation case. An official said, ‘The UAE highly appreciates Kuwait’s cooperation in this case,’ noting that the move stems from the GCC and Arab fraternity stance to achieve security and stability in the region. The source added that the cooperation between the two countries over this issue will continue in light of investigations being conducted by the State Security Circuit at the UAE Federal Supreme Court. ‘The investigations have so far concluded that the cell has contacts with the Muslim Brotherhood in Kuwait, who helped the suspects of the secret cell in terms of organisation and funding.’ It added that some members of the secret cell, notably, the first suspect, had visited GCC and Arab countries to meet the Muslim Brotherhood leaders in those countries to lobby for material and moral support. Earlier, the Kuwait prime minister said in a statement that his country would not be silent about any Kuwaiti proved to be involved with the Muslim Brotherhood cell arrested months ago. ‘Brothers in the UAE told us they suspect some Kuwaitis were involved in financing the cell, but they told us to wait until the investigations come to an end. We do not have full information, but the case is being heard by the UAE court. However, should we find collaborators in this case, we will not be silent.’ Shaikh Jaber had disclosed before the Kuwaiti Ummah Council in January the UAE-Kuwaiti contacts in the Muslim Brotherhood Cell in the UAE and the extent of involvement of some Kuwaitis in the case. The issue of involvement of some members of the Kuwaiti Council Ummah in financing the secret cell organisation in the UAE has been covered extensively by the Kuwaiti press. The members of the Ummah Council such as Nabeel Al Fadl and Safa Al Hashim have called for uncovering the names of Kuwaiti MPs involved in attempts to create instability in the GCC states, among others the UAE.
A post from January reported that that the United Arab Emirates would try 94 people on charges of trying to seize power in that country.
The GMBDW has extensively covered the ongoing developments concerning the Muslim Brotherhood in the Gulf countries:
- A post from earlier this month reported that that the UAE had arrested 10 people described as the leadership of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood in that country.
- A post from November 2012 reported on further comments by the Dubai police chief accusing the Muslim Brotherhood of creating unrest in the UAE. As noted in that post, Lt. Gen. Dhahi Khalfan also said that UAE Muslim Brotherhood members who had been arrested had met with Kuwaiti Brotherhood “mentors” including Kuwaiti Brotherhood leader Tariq Al-Suwaidan.
- A post from October 2012 reported on comments by the United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister in which he said that Gulf Arab countries should work together to stop the Muslim Brotherhood from undermining governments in the area.
- A post from late September 2012 reported that the Muslim Brotherhood in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had denied setting up an armed wing with the goal of seizing power. A post from late September reported on the trial in Abu Dhabi of what are described as “activists belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood” and who reportedly admitted that they have engaged in financial actives and communicated with “the international organisation of the Muslim Brotherhood and other bodies.”
- A post from April 2012 reported that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had detained six members of the local Muslim Brotherhood whose citizenship had been revoked on the basis of belonging to groups that fund terrorists. Earlier posts reported on allegations by the Dubai police chief that the Muslim Brotherhood is using social media to attack the UAE and his threat to arrest Qaradawi who criticized the UAE for revoking the visas of Syrians demonstrating against the regime in Damascus.
- In March 2012, a post reported that that Tariq Al-Suwaidan had added his voice to the conflict between the UAE and the Global Muslim Brotherhood by warning that if the UAE followed through on its threat to arrest Global Muslim Brotherhood leader Youssef Qaradawi, “it would be a disaster” for the UAE.
The New York Times reported in mid-January on the continuing conflict between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood.