UAE Discovers New Group Formed By 'Reform Call' Fugitives Abroad

Investigations led by the Public Prosecution, under the UAE Attorney-General's supervision, have revealed a new secret organisation operating abroad. This group was formed by fugitive members of the "Reform Call" Organisation, which was classified as a terrorist entity in 2013 and subsequently dissolved. The new organisation aims to revive the previous group's objectives.

The State Security Service has been monitoring fugitives from various emirates who were sentenced in absentia in 2013. Surveillance uncovered two groups of these members convening abroad and recruiting others to form a new organisation. They received funding from sources within the UAE and other terrorist groups outside the country.

Investigations revealed that the organisation has established alliances with other terrorist groups to collaborate across media, economic, and educational sectors. These efforts aim to strengthen ties, secure funding, maintain presence, enhance protection mechanisms abroad, and achieve their objectives.

In one country, the group is associated with several fronts posing as charitable or intellectual organisations and television channels. The most notable is the Cordoba Foundation (TCF), classified as a terrorist organisation in 2014. TCF presents itself as a Middle Eastern "think-tank" institution led by Anas Altikriti, a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood residing abroad.

The fugitive members communicated through secret meetings via internet applications and mutual visits between the two groups. Confessions from an arrested member detailed the group's structure and activities, including leading smear campaigns, promoting hate speech, questioning state achievements, spreading discord among the populace, financing terrorism, engaging in money laundering, and cooperating with foreign intelligence services to destabilise state security.

They also incited actions against official institutions, targeted the UAE on human rights issues, sought to weaken confidence in the government, and stirred public opinion through fake online pages and accounts created for this purpose. Some members engaged directly with international human rights organisations, providing false information about state authorities for negative reports against the UAE.

Current Investigations

A team from the Public Prosecution is currently conducting intensive investigations to verify details from the confessions of the arrested member and findings from the State Security Service. The Public Prosecution is expected to release details of the terrorist organisation and its crimes upon completing these investigations.

With inputs from WAM