‘We have proof of Qatar’s help for terrorism’
THE WEST UNDERSTANDS DOHA’S DESTABILISING ACTIVITIES, GOBASH SAYS
The UAE yesterday said many countries in the West understand Qatar’s activities in supporting terror and providing safe haven to extremists.
“Our understanding is many governments in the West do understand in operational terms what the Qataris have been doing,” Omar Saif Gobash, UAE ambassador to Russia, said in an interview with the BBC yesterday. He was referring to Qatar’s support to terrorist groups, propagating extremist agendas in the Middle East and meddling in the internal affairs of their neighbours.
Voice, video recordings
The ambassador confirmed that the UAE government has voice and video recordings that prove Qatar’s dealing with terror groups across the Middle East.
He revealed a serious incident in which Qatar officials gave the terror network Al Qaida in Yemen the exact location of the UAE forces, which were planning to attack the terrorist group.
“We were in the process of engaging with Al Qaida [in Yemen]. We have information … that our Qatari allies informed Al Qaida of our precise location and what we were planning to do.
“Then we received four suicide bombers at our door and we were injured,” he said, adding that the UAE government has voice and video recordings.
“We have video evidence that we’ve managed to pick up in the field, whether that is in Libya, in Yemen. [of] people giving instructions, known individuals giving instructions to known individuals in Libya, Yemen and Syria on carrying out certain acts,” he said.
Relationship with Al Nusra
“Everybody knows for the last few years Qatar has had a close relationship with Al Nusra, which is referred to as an Al Qaida affiliate,” the ambassador said.
He said the four Arab countries boycotting Qatar — Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt, stand by the 13 demands.
He said the world understands these demands and the four countries expect the international community to