10-year jail for Emirati for joining terror group

The Federal Supreme Court has sentenced an Emirati to 10 years in jail for joining Al Nusra Front, an affiliate of Al Qaeda.

The Emirati, Kh.T.R., was arrested in the UAE last year after the country's embassy in Turkey sent him back. Kh.T.R. had gone to Turkey with his family, but left the country three days before he was to fly back to the UAE. He did not inform his family before he left and his brothers suspected he went to Syria to get married.

He flew back to Istanbul some days later and approached the UAE embassy, saying he had no money. The embassy sent him to the UAE, where he was arrested.

The State Security public prosecution played a video in court that showed him in a "terror attire" singing, with children gathered around him.

Kuwaiti ex-MP guilty of sedition

In another case, the Supreme Court sentenced a former member of the Kuwaiti National Assembly in absentia to five years in jail for offensive remarks against the UAE and its leadership.

The former member of parliament (MP), Mubarak Al Duwailah, made offensive remarks against the country and its leaders in a television interview that aired on the Kuwaiti parliament's official channel in December last year.

The public prosecution had charged him with using "religion as a cloak" to promote ideas that incite sedition and damage national unity. He also spread false news and rumours, and disseminated "malicious and intimidating propaganda".

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According to the arraignment sheet, Al Duwailah told the TV channel that the UAE is anti-Islam.

The court was told that he publicly questioned the integrity and stature of the members of the judicial authority in the country. He claimed falsely in the interview that charges against some of the accused in a state security case were "fabricated", despite which they were "condemned".

Also read: Kuwaiti to stand trial over sedition

This, the public prosecutors said, could have broken the "national fabric of the country", destabilised it and caused damage to peace.

The ruling held that these crimes incite sedition, disturb the public order and damage public interest. Al Duwailah's views could be used by extremists to jeopardise the safety of government officials and citizens of the country, the court ruled.

malzarooni@khaleejtimes.com