If the government-sponsored hit-squad that murdered Hamas commander Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh thought they could use the UAE as a killing field without repercussions, they were wrong. No doubt, they believed that they could enter #Dubai, execute their target in a way that would appear that he suffered a heart attack, and then fly-off without trace. In many other countries in this region, they might well have got away with it. Not here. #Dubai Police swiftly divined that the victim did not die from natural causes, but they delayed announcing this to avoid alerting the assassins that an investigation was underway.
I’ve always had the greatest of respect for the efficiency of #Dubai’s Police Force but, until this incident, I didn’t realise the extent of its capabilities. I greatly admired the quiet way the murders of Lebanese singer Suzanne Tamim and the former Chechan leader Salim Yamadayev were solved in recent years. However, the way the police have handled the assassination of Al-Mabhouh has been exemplary.
“Anybody who tries to work behind our backs must watch his back, and this applies to all intelligence agencies in the world…” warned #Dubai’s Police Chief Dahi Khalfan. These are far from empty words. Within just 20 hours of the crime copies of 11 suspects’ British, Irish, French and German passports were in his hands.
From then on, the murder was kept under wraps until it was announced to the world during a February 15th press conference when Dahi Khalfan revealed the assassins’ modus operandi along with their photographs and a wealth of good quality CC-TV video monitoring their movements. An “Israeli source” told Britain’s Sunday Times that the Mossad knew about the security cameras but were surprised at the ability of the police to piece the footage together in such a coherent manner.
Since, there has been a flood of information from the police. Firstly, we are told that they are 99 per cent certain that the killers were agents of Israel’s National Intelligence Agency the Mossad. The fact that at least seven passports were cloned from those belonging to Israelis with dual nationality appears to support this.
Secondly, they have discovered that the suspects held credit cards in the same names as their fraudulent passports and details of where they purchased their travel tickets. Thirdly, the police found out that they communicated with each other using devices unavailable in the UAE to send encrypted messages relayed via Austria.
This is all very impressive; so much so that even The Jerusalem Post has published an article titled “Assassins may regret taking on #Dubai’s cops” that refers to the force as “the Arab World’s best”.
Just as impressive is the forthright way that our Police Chief called for an international arrest warrant to be issued in the name of Mossad head Meir Dagan, in the event the agency’s involvement was proven beyond doubt. This clearly says that the UAE will not be intimidated even by the world’s most ruthless intelligence operatives.
The UAE Police, and in particular #Dubai’s Police, have emerged as the first in the Arab world to use DNA testing, GPS technology, and electronic finger-printing? It is also the first to institute fully computerized, paperless departments and is known for its use of biometric technologies and cutting-edge forensics. Equally important are its incorruptible officers and the humanitarian way they deal with offenders.
It’s a pity that few Arab countries can boast a police force that even approaches the UAE police. So many have a reputation for brutality, while others are simply inefficient or old-fashioned.
It saddens me, too, when travelling in the Middle East, to see police officers in grubby or torn uniforms or, worse, slouching against a wall with a cigarette in their mouths when every policeman should be an ambassador for his government.
Some countries in the region go for quantity rather than quality with uniformed police and black vans almost everywhere you look, giving visitors the impression of a police state. In the UAE, the police are numerous but unobtrusive, just like its vast network of CC-TV cameras.
You might drive around all day and glimpse only one or two officers. But don’t be fooled. They might not be visible but they are prevalent. Their task is to ensure that no harm comes to the cosmopolitan population. That is not easy considering the UAE’s open character but thanks to their phenomenal skills and sophistication, they manage to strike the right balance between freedom of the individual and security.
It might be an idea for the UAE to offer training and advice to the police forces of other countries which aspire to the standards our own has achieved.
As an Emirati I am proud of the UAE police and the way they are perceived by the world. Rather than taking them for granted, we should take time to reflect on the excellent work they do to keep us safe. They have proven time and time again that they deserve our gratitude and respect; the handling of the recent assassination is just the icing on the cake.
Without sincere international cooperation, Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh’s assassins may never be brought to justice. If they are, indeed, members of the Mossad they will burrow underground to emerge with new identities and, perhaps, even new faces. But, whatever the eventual outcome, #Dubai Police should be congratulated. I, for one, salute each and every one involved for sending the powerful message ’Don’t mess with #Dubai’.