Abu Dhabi: Prosecutors on Tuesday presented videos of Al Manara terrorist organisation members who confessed to smuggling weapons into the UAE and plotting to overthrow the government.
The videos presented as evidence at the Federal Supreme Court also showed the suspects planning to declare a Daesh-style caliphate in the UAE and attack shopping malls, hotels and night clubs in Dubai.
The court, presided over by Judge Mohammad Al Jarrah Al Tunaiji, heard the prosecutors demanding maximum punishment for the defendants.
The hearing was adjourned to December 20, 27 and January 3 to allow the lawyers to present their defence.
A total of 41 suspected members, including 39 Emiratis, of the terrorist organisation are facing trial at a security court here.
The prosecutors have said the suspects are charged with setting up and running terrorist organisation Shabab Al Manara, ‘The Minaret’s Youths’, which upholds terrorist ideology with the intent to commit terrorist acts in the UAE and endangering the country’s security, peace and lives of its leaders and the people.
Salem Saeed Kubaish, Attorney-General, said the suspects were also charged with planning to inflict damage on private and public properties to eventually seize power to set up a so-called caliphate state in line with their extremist ideology.
"To carry out their terrorist acts, the suspects procured firearms, ammunition and explosives using funds they raised for this purpose and communicated with foreign militants. These militants provided these suspects with funds and people to achieve their goals inside the country," Kubaish said.
The State Security prosecution presented five weapons, including Kalashnikov rifles, MP5 and M16 machineguns, explosives and detonators used in making bombs as well as a huge number of bullets and magazines.
