UAE | General

Dubai police chief warns Muslim Brotherhood over social media use

Top officer tells organisation’s members not to abuse social media in order to destabilise region

By Bassam Za’za, Legal And Court Correspondent
Published: 16:42 July 26, 2012

Image Credit: Atiq-ur-Rehman/Gulf News Archives

Dubai: Dubai’s Police Chief has lambasted the Muslim Brotherhood and warned them against abusing social media to destabilise the GCC region or overthrow any of its governments or rulers.

Members of the Muslim Brotherhood, if butting heads with any of the Gulf states or the GCC as a whole, would face what Lt General Dahi Khalfan Tamim described on Wednesday as the ‘Gulf Rock Head’ hinting at a ferocious-kind of determination and resistance.

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We love our leaders and rulers because they came from within our families and ancestors. Gulf nationals are known for their loyalty, fidelity and support. While using Twitter I’ve discovered that there are many tweeters, who aim to dethrone some rulers or governments in the Gulf

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Lt General Dahi Khalfan Tamim

“They will eventually fall into a whirlpool that they would not be able to face. The Gulf is a red line, it’s a red line not only to Iran, but also to the Muslim Brotherhood.

“We love our leaders and rulers because they came from within our families and ancestors. Gulf nationals are known for their loyalty, fidelity and support.

“While using Twitter I’ve discovered that there are many tweeters, who aim to dethrone some rulers or governments in the Gulf,” said Lt General Dahi during a Ramadan majlis organised by Dubai Press Club (DPC).

Sami Al Riyami, Editor-in-Chief of Emarat Al Youm, moderated the 90-minute session that was held at Shaikh Maktoum Hall at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

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The session was titled ‘Leaders of Social Networking; Vulnerability and Impact’.

Sharing his experience with a hall packed with reporters and experts, Lt General Dahi said ‘wise men and youth’ have been using Twitter since it was introduced to the Arab world.

“I have a different viewpoint about Twitter. Too many officials, friends and relatives advised me to stop using Twitter but I kept using it to see from where those curses and insults [against Gulf states] were coming.

“I wanted to discover where that hatred came from. Many tweeters apologised for cursing and/or offending me on Twitter. But Dahi Khalfan remained Dahi... I did not impersonate any other bogus personality like others who create bogus accounts so they could keep their identities discrete while abusing Twitter and cursing and insulting others,” said the Dubai Police Chief.

As a prominent leader in the UAE and an active Twitter user, the session shed light on the importance of communicating with the community through interactive social media platforms.

By the time the floor was opened for questions, the session’s main highlight was diverted into political and security matters. Lt General Dahi criticised how some tweeters indulge in discussions and arguments on Twitter “just to curse and offend others.”

‘Grow up’

He said offenders on Twitter only curse and insult others because they’ve always lived in a suppressive community and constantly suffered the oppression imposed by the regimes ruling their countries.

“I am not quitting Twitter, I will continue using my account and reply to offending tweets in a peaceful and courteous way. After five years, I assure you that things will change.

“Twitter users will eventually grow up and maybe, become wiser. What do you expect from a tweeter who has been suppressed in his country! This is why they abuse Twitter.

“They use bogus identities and curse or offend others to let out that oppression inside of them. I strongly urge UAE tweeters not to follow the same pattern, or fall victim to that category,” said Lt General Dahi.

Highlighting a very major fact, Dubai Police Chief stressed that a tweet is not a press statement.

“It is not permissible to take a tweet and use it as a press statement because it’s only a tweet and nothing else... it’s a discussion between tweeters. I don’t want each tweet to be taken or deemed as a press statement because a tweet represents a personal opinion,” he said.

On why he started discussing politics on his personal Twitter account, Lt General Dahi said: “Who said I [Dahi Khalfan] represent a shaikh or Dubai government or the UAE.

“When I tweet, I represent Dahi Khalfan. Twitter is a social means to communicate with others. I only spoke politics when my country was being offended and subjected to insults by tweeters. The attacks against the UAE on Twitter were organised and orchestrated... and that’s when I personally stepped in to defend my country and government.”