UAE prosecutor refers 41 people to trial on terror charges

The Public Prosecution has referred 41 men to the Federal Supreme Court on charges of setting up a terrorist organization.

Attorney General Salem Saeed Kubaish said that the group of people was planning to establish an extremist network and carry out attacks in the Emirates – a country located in the southeast end of the Arabian Peninsula on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman to the east and Saudi Arabia to the south, as well as sharing sea borders with Qatar and Iran.

The United Arab Emirates plans to try 41 people charged with forming a terrorist group bent on establishing an Islamic caliphate in the second-largest Arab economy.

The group also planned to cause damage to public and private property and to seize authority in the country with the aim of creating an alleged Caliphate state, in conformity with their extremist “takfiri” thoughts and beliefs.

Kubeish said the group had acquired arms, ammunition and explosive materials, and made contact with terrorist groups outside the country.

The law ushered in new security measures to counter a sweeping range of crimes deemed acts of terror at a time when global efforts are being mustered to fight the global menace.

A terrorist intent is established by a direct or indirect terrorist result or when an offender knows that the action or inaction leads, in its nature or context, to terrorist results.

Kubaish said the suspects set up an organisational structure including committees and cells with specific tasks. He was also assigned to set policies.

According to Kubaish, the members of the group had formed committees to recruit youths and to provide training on the use of firearms and explosive devices.

Before her execution, human rights watchdog Amnesty worldwide had reported last year that a dozen people had been put to death in the UAE since 1997.

“Whoever seeks or communicates with a foreign state, terrorist organisation or with anyone who works for their interests, to commit any terrorist act, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, while the death penalty will be imposed if the terrorist act has been carried out”, the law states.