US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI1766

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 001766 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA, NEA/ARP, NEA/RA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/30/08 
TAGS: KISL, PGOV, PREL, TC 
SUBJECT: MBZ ON MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD SYMPATHIZERS IN THE UAE 
 
REF: ABU DHABI 1417 
 
1.  (U) Classified by Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba for 
reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). 
 
2.  (C) In a meeting with Deputy Secretary Armitage and the 
Ambassador on April 20, Abu Dhabi Deputy Crown Prince and 
UAE Armed Forces Chief of Staff Mohammed bin Zayed Al- 
Nahyan (MbZ) noted that UAE security forces recently had 
identified "50 to 60" Emirati "Ikhwan muslimeen" or Muslim 
Brothers (MB).  MbZ also told Dep Secretary Armitage that a 
senior MB sympathizer is within one of the ruling families, 
but "thankfully not from Abu Dhabi."  (Note: We believe MbZ 
was referring to Sharjah Ruler Shaykh Sultan Al-Qassimi, 
whose Wahabi leanings are well known.  End note.) 
 
3.  (C) In a subsequent one-on-one meeting with the 
Ambassador, MbZ provided further details on the strength of 
the MB in the UAE.  He said that only a dozen out of the 50 
or 60 identified could be described as senior MB 
operatives, and that they were all civilians.  He added 
that the security services estimate there are up to 700 MB 
sympathizers in the UAE.  MbZ said that what took the 
authorities by surprise was to find sympathizers within the 
UAE Armed Forces, although the military personnel involved 
were for the most part junior officers recruited to serve 
as sleeper cells. 
 
4.  (C) The dozen civilians have not been arrested and 
there are ongoing consultations taking place across Emirate 
lines on how to handle them.  (Note: In the past we have 
seen many civilians with MB leanings forced into early 
retirement or face loss of employment.  See 03 Abu Dhabi 
2107 and 02 Abu Dhabi 5821. End Note. ) 
 
5.  (C) MbZ described to the Ambassador how they handled 
the "ikhwan" identified in the military.  They were all 
arrested, and a gentle form of reverse-brainwashing and 
family/tribal involvement had worked very well.  MbZ 
personally had met with several of the family members of 
the individuals involved and was pleased that, with one 
exception, all of the 40 military personnel detained had 
been released.  MbZ said that after intense discussions 
with religious and tribal leaders, all of them were 
convinced that they had been led astray and pledged to 
faithfully serve their country and military.  To date, MbZ 
said that the UAEG has jailed one individual within the UAE 
military, described as a dedicated MB member with radical 
ideas.  He reiterated the UAEG's long-standing commitment 
to rooting out extremist elements in the society, reforming 
the education system, and empowering the moderates 
throughout the seven emirates to ensure continued stability 
in the country. 
 
Wahba