UAE strips 6 of citizenship over security concerns

The United Arab Emirates said Thursday it is revoking the citizenship of six naturalized citizens because the government says they pose a threat on national security.

The unexpected order was issued by President Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan earlier this month, according to the announcement by state news agency WAM. The men were granted Emirati citizenship between 1976 and 1986.

The news agency quoted an unnamed source at the General Administration for Naturalization, Residency and Ports Affairs who said the six had acted to threaten "the national security of the UAE through their connection with suspicious regional and international organizations and personalities.

" Some of the men were associated with groups that have been linked with terrorist financing, the state news agency quoted the official as saying. A person familiar with the case told AP that four of the men were of Iranian origin and two came from Yemen.

He said the men's Emirati citizenship status was revoked "once it became clear that the rules under which they were granted (citizenship) were being violated."

AP