Dubai: Some Dubai Government buildings may need to have a security plan to prevent similar incidents like Sunday’s public prosecution building stand-off when an Uzbek woman threatened to detonate what she claimed was an explosive belt.
“A security plan aimed at securing government buildings is currently under study,” Major General Mohammad Eid Al Mansouri, Director of the General Department of Protective Security and Emergency at Dubai Police, told Gulf News on Tuesday. He was referring to the courts and public prosecution as well as other government buildings.
A 32-year-old Uzbek woman, Zulfiya Hamraeva, kept Dubai Police at bay for 13 hours on Sunday in a desperate action to prove her son was fathered by an Emirati man. She claimed she was wearing an explosive belt, which was later found to be a fake.
The stand-off, which started at noon on Sunday, ended at 1.20am Monday when the woman was overpowered by police.
“Government buildings must be secured not only against unexpected actions [such as the Sunday stand-off], but also to simply secure them from criminals,” he said.
“There are criminals either in custody or simply walking into those buildings and security issues must be taken into consideration,” Major General Al Mansouri said. He said the decision will not be taken from one body, but it would be a multi-agency decision.
“There will be meetings at different levels to take such a decision or order to control access to some of Dubai Government buildings such as the public prosecution or courts,” added Major General Al Mansouri.
Meanwhile, Zulfiya, who is in police custody, is being interrogated by the relevant authorities who seek to establish her motives. Police said the case has not yet been transferred to the public prosecutor, but it will be after the investigation is complete.
