British expats in UAE unfazed by terror threat

Dubai: British nationals living in the UAE say they will not change their daily lives following the UK Foreign Office's move to raise the terror threat level in the UAE from "general" to "high risk".

Updated travel advice from Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office on Saturday said terrorists might be planning indiscriminate attacks in the UAE, including in places frequented by British expatriates.

Gulf News spoke to several Britons yesterday and found a typically stoic reaction from people of all ages.

Andy Clarke, a 48-year-old construction manager originally from Stoke-on-Trent, has been living in the UAE for almost nine years. He told Gulf News the new warning won't change the way he lives his life.

"We have faced similar threats in the past so the news [of the heightened terror level] doesn't bother me, I will just carry on as normal. It hasn't even crossed my mind to return home to England and I don't think anybody else is planning on leaving."

Surprised

Trudy Goodman, a 53-year-old nursery teacher originally from Derbyshire, has been living in the UAE on and off for 20 years.

She met Julie Benn-Edwards, a 51-year-old homemaker from Liverpool, in the early 90s when Julie worked at the British Red Lion pub in the Metropolitan Hotel on Shaikh Zayed Road. They have since become very close friends.

Benn-Edwards said: "I would never return to England over this raised terror threat. My husband's job is based here and we have lived in Dubai through two Gulf wars. This will not stop people going out and living their normal lives. The UAE is a very safe place to live so I'm surprised the threat level has been raised."

At least 100,000 UK citizens are resident in the UAE and more than one million Britons travelled here in 2006, according to statistics from the British Embassy.

Danny Pennell, a 25-year-old quantity surveyor originally from London, arrived in Dubai three months ago.

He said: "Everybody wants to know the reasons behind the government's decision to raise the terror threat level; it certainly makes you wonder about the intelligence they have received."

Ashley Hamer, a 24-year-old teacher from Manchester, another newcomer to the UAE said: "I feel safe and will continue going to malls, restaurants and bars."

Malcolm Monroe, 60, originally from Manchester, has been in Dubai for 30 years. He said: "We had this warning around the Iran/Iraq war, so I'm not worried. I'm more worried in the centre of Manchester. It's very stable here and security is good."

The US embassy in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday reminded US citizens to maintain a high level of security awareness in the Middle East, including the UAE, against "potential violent actions carried out by terrorists."

J.C. Butler, a 27-year-old web entrepreneur originally from New Mexico, said: "I'm actually more worried when the British government issues a warning...There must be a good reason for the threat to be heightened. But I'm not really worried and I won't be thinking twice about going out to malls or nightclubs."

Sim Whatley, a 27-year-old managing partner for a Dubai-based website originally from Louisiana, said: "A warning like this does put you on edge a bit but I'm not going to stop going out. I think if nothing happens in the next week everything will be back to normal.

"Everyone is talking about it [the raised terror threat] and most people are wondering what new intelligence has been received for such action to be taken."