UK has 'questions to answer' after UAE reportedly hired Israeli mercenary to spy on British activist

British activist Anas Altikriti has told The New Arab that UK authorities have "questions to answer" after an ITV News investigation found that the United Arab Emirates hired an Israeli mercenary to spy on him in Britain, in an alleged plot that included a threat to his life.

The revelations came in an investigation by ITV News, which reported that the UAE paid a Hungarian-Israeli dual national to run a surveillance operation against Altikriti, who heads the Cordoba Foundation think tank.

According to the investigation, the operation took place in 2016, when the operative, Abraham Golan, worked alongside a former US Navy SEAL to plan the covert operation. Golan, who heads private security firm Spear Operations Group, was previously employed by the UAE for work carried out in Yemen.

Emirati financial records seen by the UK news outlet showed that Golan was paid a six-figure retainer by the Gulf state, as well as substantial bonuses. He also received a $1 million payment for his operations in Yemen.

Golan has previously spoken publicly about his work in Yemen, telling BuzzFeed News in 2018: "There was a targeted assassination program in Yemen. I was running it. We did it. It was sanctioned by the UAE within the coalition."

Altikriti is believed to have been targeted by Abu Dhabi over his alleged links to the Muslim Brotherhood, a group proscribed by the UAE and frequently targeted by its officials and media outlets.

According to the ITV report, Golan attempted to recruit a British consultant, named only as Victor, to pose as an author writing about the Muslim Brotherhood, in an attempt to lure Altikriti into meeting him in a public place. Victor was offered £50,000 for the job, which was later raised to £100,000.

Golan reportedly handed Victor a file containing photos of Altikriti's home and office, along with satellite images showing his routes to and from work.

The alleged plot also included a threat to Altikriti's life, according to the report, with an associate of Golan asking Victor: "What would happen if Anas Altikriti was..." before making a throat-slitting gesture.

Police warned Altikriti on two occasions about a threat to his life, though they said they were not permitted to reveal details about the source or nature of the threat.

'I expect far better from my own government'

Speaking to The New Arab, Altikriti said that UK authorities had questions to answer over the matter, given that he was targeted by a foreign state in his own country.

"The most important element I believe from this story is the role of our government. To be perfectly honest, I wouldn't expect less from an authoritarian, dictatorial government like the UAE regime, however I would expect far better from my own government," Altikriti said.

"First of all, the authorities, both the government and security services, what did they know about this? How much did they know about this? And did they know about this? If they didn't, that in itself is catastrophic. If they did and they remained silent, that in itself constitutes a troubling reckoning and it's something that needs to be addressed."

Altikriti also highlighted that he has previously been de-banked by several institutions in the UK, which he says was done at the behest of Abu Dhabi.

"I consider myself to be a law-abiding citizen, and those who listen to me, I tell to be law-abiding citizens. For that, the least I would expect is for my government to protect me, to protect my rights, my civil liberties. Otherwise, what's the worth of the freedoms the UK claims to uphold if I, on British soil, having done nothing wrong, can be threatened in such a harrowing and flagrant manner."

The New Arab contacted the Home Office for comment, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

In a separate statement to TNA, the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB), a group Altikriti previously served as president of, described the revelations as "deeply alarming".

"The Government must establish the full extent of the operation, who was behind it, and whether other British citizens or organisations were also targeted," MAB said.

"Britain’s response to the Russian Salisbury attack established a clear principle: foreign states cannot be allowed to operate with impunity on British soil. That principle cannot depend on whether the state in question is an adversary or an ally. The Government must apply the same seriousness and scrutiny here, launch a full investigation and make clear that Britain will not become a hunting ground for foreign states."