Robinson: I made ‘biggest mistake’ in meeting Dubai hostage princess
FORMER President Mary Robinson has said she made a ‘big mistake’ and was ‘naive’ for meeting abducted Emirati princess, Latifa Al Maktoum.
Speaking on last night’s Late Late Show, the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said: ‘I made a mistake. I let my heart lead my head. I went to help a friend. I was naive. I should have been more alert.’
Mrs Robinson had described Princess Latifa as a ‘troubled young woman’ after she met her at a lunch on invitation from Dubai’s royal family in 2018.
Earlier that year, Princess Latifa attempted to flee the country. She sailed to the Indian coast and was arrested by Indian army commandos before being handed over to UAE special forces. They then flew her back by private plane to Dubai. She wasn’t seen again until she appeared in photos with Mary Robinson.
A BBC Panorama documentary broadcast last week showed the princess appearing in a video in which she said she was being held hostage by her father Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Sheikh Mohammed has seven horse studs in Ireland and is one of the biggest names in Irish racing. His central stud in Kildare has over 1,000 acres and employs 250 people.
‘That’s hurtful to me when I realise that I made a big mistake. I’ve made mistakes before and that’s the biggest one. I hope I’ll never be in that situation again,’ Mrs Robinson said last night.
The former president said Princess Latifa needs political support, adding that she ‘100% believes Latifa now’ and should be freed.
The family of Princess Latifa say she is, ‘being cared for at home’ and ‘will return to public life at the appropriate time’, after her self-filmed video messages from her Middle Eastern ‘villa jail’ prompted widespread concern for her safety.
The princess also raised the disappearance of her older sister, Princess Shamsa, who she alleges was captured by her father in 2002.
‘I should have been more alert’