Abu Dhabi: The State Security Court at the Federal Supreme Court in Abu Dhabi adjourned on Monday the hearing of the state security case until February 9 when the defence team will present its arguments before presiding judge Falah Al Hajeri.
In yesterday’s (Monday) session, the General Prosecution accused the Emirati man, A.R.B., 43, of communicating with Iran, and supplying intelligence officers at the Iranian Consulate in Dubai with top secret and highly sensitive information about Dubai Police and high-ranking officials in Dubai Security Departments. The prosecution says the defendant also provided confidential information about Dubai Police employees, thier family members and closed friends to Irannian agents. The Prosecutor has demanded the defendant receives the maximum sentence according to Articles 5 and 155 of the Penal Law.
The Public Prosecution asked that the maximum sentence be given to the defendant who was found guilty of providing Iranian officials with intelligence that is harmful to the UAE. This includes a maximum jail sentence of 10 years. The prosecution also said during arguments that the defendant provided Iranian officials with details about military uniforms belonging to the Dubai Police. The offender also provided the foreign diplomats with the names and telephone numbers of several officers and police employees as a list of names, ranks and numbers was found in the perpetrator’s vehicle upon being searched, the prosecution added.
Three witnesses who were requested to testify at today’s hearing for the defence team failed to appear in court. The men work at Dubai Police.
In the previous session, the judge had postponded the hearing to January 26 to hear testimonies of the three defence witnesses. Lawyers told the court they were unable to persuade the witnesses to show up in the court, and demanded that the witnesses be ordered to attend the next court hearing. But the presiding judge Falah Al Hajeri turned down their request and the sending of notices.
The prosecution said: “The defendant has communicated with high-ranking officials in the Iranian counslate to provide then with sensitive information. Then he asked the Vice-Consul for a health card that enables him to benefit from discounts when receiving medical treatment at the Iranian Hospital in Dubai. After that and starting from 2010, he started to head to the Consulate to finish paperwork for his friend’s wife who is also of Iranian origin. That is when the defendant began to provide investigation officials at the consulate with information pertaining to the police, government officials and others working in security positions at the Dubai Police,” the prosecution said.
In its arguments, the general prosecution also mentioned the police officer’s testimony which stated that the information disclosed by the offender included mobile phone and licence plates numbers belonging to members of the police.
