Doha: A report broadcasted on Abu Dhabi TV on Thursday featured video footage of Qatari intelligence officer Second Lieutenant Hamad Ali Mohammad Ali Al Hammadi confessing about attempts of sabotage made by Qatar against the UAE government.
Al Hammadi said that his mission, given to him by the Qatari Intelligence’s Digital Department, was to buy Emirati SIM cards to create bogus social media accounts, such as Bo3skor and Gannas Al Shimal, which would defame the UAE.
“The Digital Department is the one that set up those accounts, as well as other accounts,” said Al Hammadi.
“It used those accounts to attack the UAE and its leaders, including the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Shaikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council,” he added.
In 2015, the UAE State Security Court at the Federal Supreme Court sentenced Al Hammadi to 10 years in prison, while four other Qataris were sentenced in absentia to life in prison.
All five were also fined Dh1 million on charges of creating and running websites that insult the UAE’s leadership.
Shaikh Khalifa later pardoned Al Hammadi in May of the same year.
The report emerges after Saudi Arabia, Bahrian, the UAE and Egypt cut diplomatic ties with Qatar on June 5 over its support to terrorist groups.
