The UAE State Security Department (SSD) has dismantled a terrorist organisation whose members were involved in covert activities aimed at undermining national unity and destabilising the country through plans to carry out systematic terrorist and sabotage operations on UAE soil.
Investigations revealed links between the organisation and Iran’s Wilayat al-Faqih ideology. The group conducted recruitment and mobilisation through meetings held in secret, as part of a plan coordinated with entities outside the country, with the aim of gaining access to locations described as sensitive.
According to surveillance and follow-up investigations, the organisation held meetings inside and outside the UAE with what authorities described as terrorist elements and organisations of a suspicious nature.
UAE security forces break up secret organisation tied to Iran’s Wilayat al-Faqih ideology
The organisation sought to spread what authorities described as misleading ideas among Emirati youth, with the aim of recruiting them in support of foreign allegiances. Members also worked to incite sentiment against the UAE’s foreign policy and internal measures, and to portray the country in a negative light.
The group was also found to have collected funds through unofficial channels and transferred them to external entities described by investigators as suspicious.
The charges brought against the members of the organisation include establishing a secret organisation, managing its activities within the country, pledging allegiance and loyalty to external parties, and undermining national unity and social peace.
The SSD reaffirmed its commitment to confronting threats to public security and called on citizens and residents to report suspicious activities through official channels.
Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait condemn the plot and express full solidarity with the UAE
The Kingdom of Bahrain moved swiftly to condemn what it described as a plot aimed at undermining the security, stability, and social cohesion of the UAE.
In a statement carried by Bahrain News Agency (BNA), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it “commended the efficiency and vigilance of the UAE security and intelligence services in dismantling the Iran-linked terrorist cell, arresting its members, and thwarting its criminal objectives.”
Bahrain reaffirmed its solidarity with the UAE and its support for all measures taken to safeguard Emirati sovereignty and combat terrorism, extremism, and foreign interference.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan condemned the plot as a “reprehensible attempt to threaten the country’s security and safety,” expressing full solidarity with the UAE and support for measures taken to safeguard its sovereignty.
Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement carried by Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), praised the efficiency and vigilance of UAE security authorities and reiterated the country’s “total rejection of all forms of terrorism and extremism, and its condemnation of anyone who stands behind or supports such acts.”
The Muslim Council of Elders issued a statement condemning the organisation’s plots in the strongest terms, describing the activities as “a flagrant violation of international laws and conventions” that posed a threat to the security and stability of societies.
The Council said that “adopting extremist ideologies and engaging in networks with external loyalties represents a dangerous deviation that contradicts the tolerant teachings of Islam,” which it said were based on loyalty to one’s homeland and the rejection of all forms of violence, sabotage, and corruption.
The Council called for international efforts to confront terrorist organisations and extremist ideologies, stressing that “enhancing societal awareness and entrenching the values of citizenship and national belonging constitute the first line of defence against such challenges.”
Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the plot, describing it as a threat not only to the UAE but to the wider region. In a statement carried by Ahram Online, the ministry praised the vigilance of Emirati authorities in dismantling the network.
Egypt’s foreign ministry said that “the UAE’s security is integral to Egypt’s and the wider Arab region’s,” reiterating its rejection of any attempts to destabilise Gulf states.
The Sultanate of Oman condemned any acts or plots targeting the security and stability of the UAE or interfering in its internal affairs, expressing solidarity with the UAE in all measures it takes to safeguard its territory, security, and the safety of its society.
In a statement carried by Oman News Agency, the Foreign Ministry reiterated Oman’s stance rejecting “all forms of violence, extremism and terrorism, as well as incitement to them, regardless of motives or justifications,” and affirmed its commitment to constructive cooperation with brotherly and friendly countries in confronting such acts.
