UAE says arrests al Qaeda-linked cell targeting security

State news agency WAM said the members were of various Arab nationalities and had been recruiting, financing and providing logistical support to al Qaeda. They had also sought to expand their activities to other countries in the region, WAM said.

"The cell was planning actions that would target the country's security and the safety of its citizens and residents, and was carrying out recruitment, and promoting the actions of al Qaeda," WAM reported.

"It was also supplying it (al Qaeda) with money and providing logistical support and seeking to expand its activities to some regional countries," the WAM report concluded..


An article in the news site The Daily Beast 0n 27 December reported that a local Al Qaeda cell in the UAE had been arrested.It was made up of Saudis and local Gulf Arab nationals.The Daily Beast surmised that the UAE's close cooperation  with US forces may have caused it to be targeted. Banks in the UAE play an important role in the region and have large cash deposits. Previously it had not been arttacked by Al Qaeda.