Eighteen men and women were arrested in AbuDhabi and Dubai last week in
connection with the use of illegal surveillance equipment. The 18 include
a retired British Army intelligence major and seven other Britons. The
other detainees are from the Philippines, Morocco, Jordan and Yemen.
Over the weekend British officials in the United Arab Emirates were able
to speak by telephone to the Britons but were not permitted to visit them.
A statement released yesterday on behalf of the detainees by Briton Michael
Sixsmith said: “Without exception the treatment that we have received
has been exemplary. Considerable efforts have been made by the authorities
to expedite the matter quickly.” All have had access to lawyers by
telephone.
Those arrested work for SSS Corporate Research, Middle East Research Group (MERG) and Vision and Leisure International. MERG is based in Dubai and run by Mr Sixsmith, 58, a former British military intelligence officer from Faversham, Kent, and Peter Lockhart Smith, formerly of the Grenadier Guards, who was also among those held.
All three companies are licensed locally to undertake investigatory work in connection with counterfeit luxury goods. The UAE authorities often use information supplied by private research companies to launch police raids on covert industries dealing in counterfeit goods ranging from designer clothes to electronic devices and cognac. What seems to have happened in this case is that investigators got too close to some senior members of the ruling elite, who were angered by the intrusion and have reacted accordingly.
A British diplomat in Dubai said: “They are likely to be charged
with something like being in possession of or using illegal equipment,
or company activity inconsistent with local law.” Britain traditionally
has a close relationship with the UEA, and Prince Charles paid the Emirates
a state visit just a few months ago. It is thought unlikely that the affair
will escalate into a diplomatic incident.
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