Draft:UAE- orchestrated smear scandal in Europe

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The UAE-orchestrated smear scandal in Europe refers to a series of confidential documents that claimed the UAE responsibility of smear campaigns targeting individuals and organizations in Europe. The 78,000 confidential documents revealed by Mediapart showed that the UAE has employed Alp Services, a Geneva-based company, to target individuals and organizations believed to have affiliations with Qatar or the Muslim Brotherhood in various locations throughout Europe.[1]

Mechanism[edit]

Between 2017 and 2020, UAE officials supervised Alp Services in locating and gathering information on individuals and organizations believed to have connections or associations with Qatar or the Muslim Brotherhood in Europe. The Geneva-based company conduct extensive research, including individuals such as politicians, lawyers, human rights organizations and activists, businesspersons, researchers, Muslim associations, and humanitarian or charitable NGOs.[2] As a result, Alp Services has successfully compiled a list of over 1000 names, along with corresponding addresses and, in some cases, mobile phone numbers of individuals residing in 18 European countries, including Switzerland, France, Belgium, England, Netherlands, Italy, Germany, and Austria. France was among the most targeted countries, with 191 individuals and 125 organizations.[3][4]

This significant and diverse data were presented to the Abu Dhabi Secret Service in the form of infographics. Subsequently, the Alp Services embarked on discrediting the "enemies of the Emirates" by disseminating offensive information covertly and extensively, thereby influencing public opinion and decision-makers in Europe. Upon preparing the targets, UAE officials could request services from the company to attack specific targets, costing between €20,000 and €50,000 per target.[5]

The strategy employed focused on launching press campaigns and publishing articles through fake authors. Moreover, modifications were made to Wikipedia pages to manipulate information, and in certain cases, banks were convinced to close the accounts of the targeted individuals or organizations, which ultimately led to their bankruptcy. The documents also alleged that espionage operations included the monitoring and photographing of certain targets.[6]

Payment method[edit]

Leaked documents indicate that Alp Services received over 5.7 million euros between 2017 and 2020 through an Emirati research center called "Al-Aryaf," ostensibly serving as a cover for Emirati intelligence services.[7][8]

Prominent targets[edit]

According to the Mediapart leaks, they were notable figures among the targets list such as Zakia Khattabi, Belgium country's federal minister for environment and sustainability, Benoît Hamon, the former candidate for the French presidential elections, Samia Ghali, assistant mayor of Marseille and former senator, writer and director Rokhaya Diallo, and even the CNRS, the French public body responsible for scientific research. The list also included the Alkarama foundation for Human Rights, Pascal Gemberly, secretary general of the Vaudois Union of Muslim Associations (UVAM), Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW), and businessman Hazem Nada.[9]

Official response[edit]

While the Alp services said that the leaked documents are stolen and partly falsified, UAE government declined to comment on the allegations. Regarding the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, which is responsible for overseeing private security companies operating in Switzerland, it stated that, they have not received any reports where a foreign state was identified as the main or ultimate beneficiary.[10]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Comment une agence à Genève a fiché un millier de personnes pour les services secrets émiratis - Heidi.news". www.heidi.news (in French). 7 July 2023. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  2. ^ "Une entreprise genevoise au cœur d'une vaste opération d'influence des Emirats arabes unis". rts.ch (in French). 2023-07-07. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  3. ^ Harari, Clément Fayol, Yann Philippin, Antton Rouget, Antoine (7 July 2023). "Plus de 200 Français ont été fichés pour le compte des services secrets des Émirats arabes unis". Mediapart (in French). Retrieved 2023-07-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "Liste med 47 nordmenn sendt til Emiratenes etterretningstjeneste". www.vg.no (in Norwegian Bokmål). 2023-07-07. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  5. ^ Vergine, Giovanni Tizian e Stefano. "Abu Dhabi Secrets: così funziona lo spionaggio in Europa per conto degli Emirati". www.editorialedomani.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  6. ^ "Une entreprise genevoise au cœur d'une vaste opération d'influence des Emirats arabes unis". rts.ch (in French). 2023-07-07. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  7. ^ Heck, Wilmer; Kouwenhoven, Andreas (2023-07-07). "Dit schimmige bedrijf vernietigde reputaties van Europese moslims". NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  8. ^ ""أسرار أبو ظبي" : ألف أوروبي مسجّلون كـ"إخوان مسلمين" لدى أجهزة الأمن الإماراتيّة - Daraj" (in Arabic). 2023-07-07. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  9. ^ Kalisch, Muriel; Bolliger, Monika; Buschmann, Rafael; Naber, Nicola; Becker, Sven (2023-07-07). "(S+) Wie Schweizer Privatermittler für die Vereinigten Arabischen Emirate in Europa Politik beeinflussten". Der Spiegel (in German). ISSN 2195-1349. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  10. ^ "A Geneva company at the heart of a vast operation to influence the United Arab Emirates – rts.ch".
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