US embassy cable - 05ABUDHABI4946

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 004946 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/FO, NEA/PD AND NEA/ARPI 
STATE ALSO FOR S/CT AND IIP COORDINATOR ALEX FELDMAN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/06/2010 
TAGS: PTER, KISL, PREL, KPAO, AE 
SUBJECT: ABU DHABI CROWN PRINCE PUBLICLY DENOUNCES TERROR 
 
REF: A. ABU DHABI 4919 (NOTAL) 
 
     B. ABU DHABI 4905 (NOTAL) 
     C. DUBAI 5906 (NOTAL) 
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Martin R. Quinn, reasons 1.4 (b) 
 and (d). 
 
1. (C) Summary: Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin 
Zayed (MbZ) used a speech at the inauguration of the Abu 
Dhabi National Consultative Council December 6 to publicly 
denounce terrorists as disloyal towards their fellow 
citizens.  MbZ's strongly worded message follows his equally 
powerful statement to Al Arabiya television on November 16 in 
response to the November 9 Amman terrorist bombings in which 
he said called upon Muslim scholars and imams to take a stand 
against terrorism.  The statement also comes a little less 
than a week after President Khalifa's announcement of coming 
political reforms, including a limited indirect election of 
half the members of the Federal National Council.  That 
announcement, like MbZ's harsh message for terrorists, is 
what triggers speculation within academic circles about 
whether UAE nationals with Islamist tendencies would be 
allowed to participate in the new era of political openness 
(see reftels).  President Khalifa also announced the 
establishment of a National Security Council.  End Summary. 
 
2. (U) Speaking before the Abu Dhabi National Consultative 
Council December 6, MbZ declared, "We have a deep belief that 
the top-most priority is total allegiance to the nation and 
nothing else.  A citizen has rights which the country 
provides and guarantees.  But in return the pillar of 
citizenship is the absolute and full loyalty to their country 
and its leadership."  MbZ continued, "Today there is no room 
for multi-affiliations or having people who enjoy the 
privileges of citizenship whilst their affiliations are 
outside the country's borders.  The interest of the country 
is non-negotiable.  We will not tolerate any deviation from 
this principle." 
 
3. (U) MbZ said that terrorists have no loyalty toward their 
fellow citizens.  "I would say the problem with terrorists is 
that they have sold their conscience to people outside their 
countries, which we strongly reject in the UAE," he said.  He 
went on to urge all UAE residents to be vigilant against 
efforts that might destabilize the country.  MbZ said 
eradicating terrorism in all forms, including money 
laundering, is a national priority "because it guarantees 
stability and progress we enjoy and strive to expand for the 
betterment of our country and the generations to come." 
 
4. (U) The statement before the National Consultative Council 
follows an equally strong statement MbZ made during an 
interview for Al Arabiya television November 16 in response 
to the November 9 Amman bombings.  MbZ told Al Arabiya that 
Muslim scholars and imams "who live among us" should adopt a 
unified stand against terrorism.  He said if the sheikhs and 
imams do not denounce terrorists as infidels, "the least they 
can do is drive them out of the faith."  He said he blamed 
the scholars and imams who, by not denouncing terrorists, 
were allowing terrorist acts to continue.  "If there is no 
sincere stand against such irreligious and inhumane acts, 
they will flourish."  MbZ added that terrorism "entered our 
lives in the name of Islam."  It is up to Muslims to "face it 
and resist it." 
 
5. (U) MbZ asked rhetorically, which mind, and which logic, 
would explain the killing of a child, a woman, or an elderly 
person at a party (referring to the wedding celebration in an 
Amman hotel).  He concluded his statement by saying that what 
happened in Jordan as a result of a terrorist act "has been 
hurtful to us in the UAE, as if it happened here." 
 
6. (C) Comment: MbZ has told USG interlocutors of his zero 
tolerance for terrorists.  His anti-terror statements to the 
National Consultative Council and to Al Arabiya not only 
demonstrates that MbZ has no qualms about publicly declaring 
his intolerance for terrorists, but also his displeasure with 
religious leaders who may actually be encouraging extremism 
by not speaking out against terrorists.  It will be 
interesting to see what effect these public messages 
ratcheting up the anti-terror rhetoric have on UAE nationals, 
who learned a week earlier that the leadership was ready to 
broaden political participation.  For some, MbZ's speech may 
have struck a dissonant chord because it contradicts the 
principle of freedom of participation.  As reported in ref C, 
as the indirect election process gets under way, authorities 
in at least two of the emirates )- and probably all of them 
-- will be vetting all proposed names closely for possible 
Islamist connections. 
SISON