ABU DHABI // Four Emirati men were smuggled out of the UAE and into Oman before travelling to Syria to fight alongside ISIL, the Federal Supreme Court was told.
Emirati A H M, 22, is accused of funding ISIL and helping the four Emiratis join the terrorist group by leaving the UAE via its border with Oman, before travelling via Muscat and Turkey to Syria.
A H M is one of 11 people – eight Emiratis, a Syrian, a Mauritanian and a Bahraini – on trial for their links with ISIL. Six defendants were present in court on Monday after denying the charges against them in an earlier hearing.
The court heard that O S O, 22, from Mauritania, allegedly provided financial aid to Abu Dujana, an ISIL member in Syria. O S O also allegedly helped three people travel to Syria to join the terrorist group. He allegedly promoted in public the ideals of ISIL and the Jabhat Al Nusra group.
Witness S M told the court that investigations found that O S O had been giving lectures in the Al Yahar area of Al Ain to promote ISIL ideals and recruit people to fight in Syria. He also helped the four Emiratis to travel to Syria with the help of A H M.
“He communicated with ISIL members in Syria to ensure the safe travels of the new recruits. A H M was responsible for smuggling the four men by land through several exits, including Hatta and Al Rawdha, to reach Oman in batches,” said S M.
Two of the men in Syria are presumed to have been killed in combat, although there is no official confirmation of their deaths and they are being tried in absentia. One recently returned to the UAE and is being held by the authorities. He was ordered to appear at the next hearing by Judge Mohammed Al Jarrah Al Tenaiji.
The court heard that A H M created a Twitter account under an alias, Abu Nooh, which he used to publish information about ISIL and promote their ideals. He also used the social media network to insult the UAE’s leadership. He allegedly insulted Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, in public.
Syrian M A A, 34, is accused of transferring Dh8,000 to two ISIL members in two instalments, which O S O delivered to Abu Dujana.
A A A, 25, from Bahrain, is accused of providing the men in Syria with food supplements and hormones while Emirati brothers, A A S, 22, and M A S, 24, are accused of knowing about the crime and not reporting it. “A H M received a protein supplement shipment from A A A that was to be sent to Syria to aid in the body-building and muscle development of the recruits,” S M said.
The witness said that M A A was the group’s fundraiser and would collect money for them. He had communications with his brother, an ISIL member in Syria. S M said A A S and M A S also attended lectures that O S O gave and were ISIL supporters, but did not have any related activities.
The court heard that A S N, 25, an Emirati, allegedly created and managed a Twitter account to promote ISIL’s ideas. He was not present to enter a plea.
Lawyers for the six defendants in court on Monday requested an adjournment to prepare their defence and a witness.
The case was adjourned to December 21.
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