UAE terror suspects confessed under duress, defence argues

Abu Dhabi: Confessions of members of the Al Manara terrorist organisation were taken by authorities under duress, a lawyer told the Federal Supreme Court on Sunday.

The court, presided over by judge Mohammad Jarrah Al Tunaiji, heard defence arguments that investigation lacked seriousness and credibility and accusations were levelled against the group altogether with no clear charges for each person.

Hamdan Al Zayoudi, a lawyer who is defending 10 of the accused — including the alleged mastermind — told the court there were conflicting statements by the defendants, who all pleaded not guilty, demanding that they all be acquitted of all charges.

“Investigations showed the defendants believe in the Quran and the Prophet’s (PBUH) traditions, which order believers to obey those charged with authority. Some defendants are too young to understand takfiri terrorist ideology,” Al Zayoudi said, noting that attending religious lectures are not a punishable offence.

The lawyer questioned the group’s capability to import weapons and explosives.

The men earlier confessed in videos shown in the Federal Supreme Court that they smuggled weapons, ammunition and detonators into the UAE to overthrow the government, declare a Daesh-style caliphate in the UAE and attack prominent shopping malls, hotels and nightclubs in Dubai.

The court earlier heard the suspects confessing in the footage to planning to exploit the ensuing chaos to assassinate dignitaries.

Prosecutors made their case in the hearing and demanded maximum punishment for the defendants.

The hearing was adjourned to December 20, 27 and January 3 to allow the lawyers to present their defence.

A total of 41 suspected members — including 39 Emiratis — of the alleged terrorist organisation are facing trial at a security court here.

In one clip, defendant A.K. said Al Rifa’a desert camp was set up on a five-metre-high plateau in Ras Al Khaimah.

“We organised meetings and listened to lectures about jihadi ideology given by the head of the group. We were trained to use weapons, machine-guns and bombs,” the defendant said.

Asked how they hid the weapons, the defendant told prosecutors in the clip shown to the court, that the gang hid packaged weapons, machine guns, ammunition and detonators in a number of holes located 50 metres from the camp.

Al Zayoudi told the court the Al Manara school and mosque in Dubai were overseen by the Ministry of Education and the Islamic Affairs and Awqaf Authority since 2010 and that religious lectures were given with permission from the authority.

The main defendant had never taken part in any military exercise in Syria or elsewhere, the lawyer said. He added the prosecution did not present any evidence against the defendant, questioning the investigation documents and the authenticity of defendants’ signatures.

Al Zayoudi demanded the defendants be released on bail and their signatures be examined by the criminal laboratory.

Some other lawyers said defendants committed no offence and they had just attended wedding parties, lectures or sport activities.

Ahmad Al Ramsi, a lawyer, told the court defendants had nothing to do with any terrorist organisation and documents lacked evidence that they had taken part in any military exercise or illegal activity whatsoever.

The case was adjourned to December 27 to hear the remaining defence lawyers making their case.