Emir sends condolences to UAE vice president

Sheikh Rashid was the eldest son of Sheikh Mohammed.

The Crown Prince of Dubai has written a poem in memory of his brother, Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who died of a heart attack on Saturday, aged 33.

Al Humaidan affirmed that Sheikh Mohammed’s orders will be carried out immediately, adding that the Public Prosecution has started co-ordination with Dubai Police to implement the orders and ensure the prisoners can reunite with their families before the start of Eid Al Adha.

The Arab-language al-Ain news website, meantime, quoted people close to Ansarullah as confirming that Sheikh Rashid has been killed in Ma’rib.

Dubai royal Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed, whose death at the age of 33 due to a heart attack was announced over the weekend, was a horse racing enthusiast whose public profile was shaped largely by his sporting interests – and damaging claims about his personal life.

As the owner of Zabeel Racing worldwide , Shaikh Rashid had led the individual owners list an unprecedented five times with over 428 wins to date.

The report says that a confidential memo written by the then Acting Consul General David Williams for the Central Intelligence Agency the same year, which was one of thousands released by Wikileaks, offers an insight into what really went on at the Zabeel Palace.

But the identity of the aide supposedly murdered by Rashid has never been revealed.

Written by Consul General Martin Quinn, the dispatch claimed that the underground scene was only available to the very wealthy.

The Emirati princes, including Rashid were the wealthy guests to attend the parties, it was alleged.

In January 2008, Rashid was appointed President of the UAE Olympic Committee.

Later, Sheikh Mohammed received Salaheddine Mezouar, Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs and Co-operation and Representative of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco.

Whatever the truth of his alleged penchant for drugs, there is no denying that the death of a young man in his prime is anything but a tragedy.