Gulf States must tackle Muslim Brotherhood threat - UAE

Gulf Arab countries should work together to stop Islamist group the Muslim Brotherhood plotting to undermine governments in the region, the United Arab Emirates' foreign minister said on Monday.             

The UAE, a major oil exporter and business hub, has arrested around 60 local Islamists this year, accusing them of belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood - which is banned in the country - and conspiring to overthrow the government.                        

"The Muslim Brotherhood does not believe in the nation state. It does not believe in the sovereignty of the state," Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan said at joint press conference with the Ukrainian foreign minister.                    

He said there were individuals within the Muslim Brotherhood who would be able to use their "prestige and capabilities to violate the sovereignty, laws and rules of other states".                

"We need to communicate to see if there were individuals or organizations that were using these countries," he said, without naming the countries he was referring to.                       

REUTERS