Alleged al-Qaeda, Hizballah 'cell members' on trial in UAE
Alleged al-Qaeda, Hizballah 'cell members' on trial in UAE
The UAE is trying dozens on charges of belonging to al-Qaeda as a separate trial opens for three alleged Hezbollah cell members.
2 min read
The UAE is accusing defendants of belonging to various militant factions [Getty]
Two trials have opened in the United Arab Emirates as it attempts to deal with fears of rising militancy in the emirate.
In the first case, three men are accused of links to Lebanon's Hizballah movement, while 23 others are on trial in a second case for alleged ties to Al-Qaeda.
The same court deferred the trial of a man accused of supporting the Islamic State group, as his laywer claimed the suspect was suffering from psychosis.
The three Lebanese men charged with "forming and managing a group linked to Hezbollah without obtaining a permit" appeared on Monday before Abu Dhabi's state security, Emarat al-Youm newspaper reported.
Al-Ittihad daily said one of the men was a Canadian citizen and that representatives of Ottowa's consulate attended the hearing, during which all three defendants denied charges.
The trial was adjourned to February 15.
In March last year, the Lebanese government said 70 Lebanese citizens were facing deportation from the United Arab Emirates.
In 2009, dozens of Lebanese Shia who had lived in the UAE for many years were expelled, ostensibly on suspicion of links to Hizballah, which is supported by Iran - a regional geopolitical rival of the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
In the second trial, 23 mostly Yemeni defendants have been charged with forming a cell linked to Al-Qaeda, as well as forgery.
Two of the accused remain at large, according to local newspaper reports.
That trial was adjourned to March 7.
Authorities have enacted tougher anti-terror legislation in recent years, including longer jail terms, and have introduced the death penalty for crimes linked to religious hatred and extremist groups.
Many human rights groups have said the Gulf state has become increasingly oppressive and hostile towards political reformers since the wave of Arab Spring protests gripped the region in 2011.
In the first case, three men are accused of links to Lebanon's Hizballah movement, while 23 others are on trial in a second case for alleged ties to Al-Qaeda.
The same court deferred the trial of a man accused of supporting the Islamic State group, as his laywer claimed the suspect was suffering from psychosis.
The three Lebanese men charged with "forming and managing a group linked to Hezbollah without obtaining a permit" appeared on Monday before Abu Dhabi's state security, Emarat al-Youm newspaper reported.
Al-Ittihad daily said one of the men was a Canadian citizen and that representatives of Ottowa's consulate attended the hearing, during which all three defendants denied charges.
The trial was adjourned to February 15.
In March last year, the Lebanese government said 70 Lebanese citizens were facing deportation from the United Arab Emirates.
In 2009, dozens of Lebanese Shia who had lived in the UAE for many years were expelled, ostensibly on suspicion of links to Hizballah, which is supported by Iran - a regional geopolitical rival of the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
In the second trial, 23 mostly Yemeni defendants have been charged with forming a cell linked to Al-Qaeda, as well as forgery.
Two of the accused remain at large, according to local newspaper reports.
That trial was adjourned to March 7.
Authorities have enacted tougher anti-terror legislation in recent years, including longer jail terms, and have introduced the death penalty for crimes linked to religious hatred and extremist groups.
Many human rights groups have said the Gulf state has become increasingly oppressive and hostile towards political reformers since the wave of Arab Spring protests gripped the region in 2011.
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