THE UK Government is being urged to investigate claims that a Gulf autocracy hired a mercenary to spy on and potentially kill a British academic.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) funded Abraham Golan, a Hungarian-Israeli soldier-for-hire, as he stalked London-based think tank boss Anas Altikriti at his home, ITV News reports.
It has sparked calls for the UK Government to investigate whether its Middle East ally attempted to have a critic of the regime killed on the streets of the English capital.
ITV News said it had obtained records of payments to Golan during his time in London in 2016, which reportedly include a six-figure retainer for his work that year and a $1 million payout for an operation against a previous target in Yemen.
The UAE’s alleged interest in Altikriti stems from his links with the Muslim Brotherhood organisation, with which his father Osama Altikriti was connected during his time as leader of the Iraqi Islamic Party.
Altikriti’s think tank the Cordoba Foundation, which the UAE has banned within its borders, has the stated aim of providing a “strong voice of tolerance and reason in promoting dialogue and a rapprochement between Islam and the West” and has denied links with the Muslim Brotherhood.
The Muslim Brotherhood remains a legal organisation in Britain and was found in a 2015 UK Government review to have “not been linked to terrorist related activity in and against the UK”.
Altikriti told ITV News: “I have good relations, because my father is my father. “I understand the ideology, I studied the ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood; I believe the Muslim Brotherhood to be a valid ideology for people who are seeking to free themselves from the clutches of oppression.”
He added: “However, I'm a Brit, I grew up in Britain. In my life I have never done anything wrong whatsoever.”
A source that ITV News have named Victor claimed to have been involved with the alleged surveillance plot against Altikriti and said that Golan was involved with a former US special forces commando while in London.
Victor claimed that Golan indicated he sought to murder Altikriti and was eventually offered £100,000 for his assistance.
Golan is also said to have shown the source photographs of the think tank boss’s home and workplace and the source told ITV News: “I became increasingly worried about what this operation entailed.”
After Victor backed out, Altikriti said he was visited by the police at his home, where he was warned vaguely about threats to his life.
He told ITV News: “It was very worrying because [the police officer was saying] 'by the way, you're in danger but we are not going to tell you anything about the source of danger, the type of danger, what it is that you should do or not do in order to lessen, mitigate or avert that danger. That's a fairly scary scenario to be placed in.
“They asked me whether I'd heard of an Osman notice. I asked, 'what is this about?' They explained that [it means] they have sufficient information to believe that lives might be under threat.”
ITV News said its investigation did not prove whether the alleged operation in London was conceived by the UAE government.
Golan is currently the subject of a civil lawsuit in the US by Anssaf Ali Mayo, a Yemeni politician who claims that the mercenary’s former company Spear Operations Group made an attempt on his life in 2015 for $1.5m.
He has since admitted to his role in this operation, which included other figures considered enemies by the UAE, telling BuzzFeed News: “There was a targeted assassination program in Yemen. I was running it. We did it. It was sanctioned by the UAE within the coalition.”
Dale Comstock, a member of Golan's team in Yemen and a US Special Forces veteran, told ITV News: “For all intents and purposes, we were Emirati soldiers.”
The UK Government is now calling to investigate the claims that one of its allies in the Middle East attempted to take the life of a British citizen in London.
In a statement on social media, Altikriti said: “My life has been dedicated to public service, facilitating dialogue, and fighting for humanity and peace. The UAE considering me to be a threat and targeting me on the streets of London is alarming for anyone who believes in our country’s sovereignty, regardless of personal politics.
“While our government considers the UAE to be an ally, they cannot allow that relationship to be unconditional. Our partnerships with foreign countries have to be based on trust, shared values, and accountability.
“It is about time that a thorough investigation is carried out by our government and key questions must be asked: What did they know about this plot? How long have they known? What response should I expect from the UK Government to this revelation?”
Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman said the claims were “deeply troubling allegations that demand answers”.
She added: “If the Emirati regime has been spying on UK citizens, we should all be deeply concerned, especially given that these allegations have only come to light through the work of journalists.
“The UK Government has developed an increasingly cosy and compromising relationship with the Emirati regime, built on arms sales, military cooperation and corporate interests. Those vested interests must never be allowed to come before human rights or the rule of law.
“We need to know who knew what, when they knew it, and what they did or about it or what they failed to do in response. Nothing should be off the table and no stone left unturned until the full truth is exposed.”
A spokesperson for the Stop the War campaign told The National: “Anas is a good friend of the anti-war and pro-Palestine movement and it's deeply shocking that Britain's ally, the UAE, sent an Israeli mercenary who had also been hired to assassinate Yemenis they regarded as terrorists, to carry out an operation against a British citizen in London.
“We send solidarity to Anas and call on the British government to provide the answers he seeks without delay.”
In a tweet, Arise councillor Pamela Fitzpatrick said that Altikriti lived in her ward in Harrow.
She said: “This is completely outrageous. Anas lives in my ward. I want answers and action from [Prime Minister Andy Burnham], [local MP Gareth Thomas] and [Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood]. What support has been offered to Anas and what action will be taken against the UAE?”
The UK Government and the government of the UAE were approached for comment.
