Doha’s blacklist confirms that it supports terror, says Gargash

dubai — The UAE on Thursday said Qatar’s punitive action against terrorists proves Doha has been hosting and supporting extremist groups and individuals. In a tweet, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr Anwar Gargash said: “Pride aside, Qatar is confirming evidence against it and confirming that its support for extremism and terrorism is at the heart of the crisis.”

The statement came after Doha blacklisted 20 people and eight organisations as “terrorist,” nine months after finding itself isolated in the Gulf over support for extremists and sympathisers.

The list, published by the interior ministry late on Wednesday, includes 12 Qatari nationals, two Saudi Arabians, four Egyptians and two Jordanians.

The move comes nine months after Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic and trade ties with Qatar, accusing Doha of bankrolling extremists and fostering ties with Iran. —

doha — Qatar said on Thursday it had placed 28 people and entities on a terrorism list, including several Qatari nationals already blacklisted by Arab states who accuse Doha of supporting militants.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt imposed travel, diplomatic and trade sanctions on Qatar in June 2017, accusing it of financing terrorism, meddling in the affairs of Arab states and cosying up to Iran.

Adding to suspects identified in October, Doha’s new list, published on the official website of its National Counter Terrorism Committee, included some individuals first named by Arab states, but

Apart from its obstinacy, Qatar is confirming the evidence against it and that its support for extremism and terrorism is at the heart of its crisis

Anwar Gargash @UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs

stopped short of mentioning more mainstream militants whose regional influence they oppose.

The move appeared to bring Qatar’s blacklist more in line with that of the Arab states. The four Arab countries maintain a list of 72 people and organisations they say have links to Doha.

Named on the new Qatari list were two Qatari citizens who were described by the boycotting countries as financiers of the militant Nusra Front group fighting in Syria.

Absent from the list was the Qatar-based International Union of Muslim Scholars, which was formed in 2004 mostly by clerics belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood and chaired by the Egyptian Sheikh Youssef Al Qaradawi. The group and Qaradawi are both blacklisted by Doha’s rivals. — Reuters