ABU DHABI – Two Pakistani brothers accused of collecting money and recruiting jihadists for Al-Qaeda went on trial in the United Arab Emirates and appeared in a court on Monday, a daily reported on Tuesday.
The pair, charged with running a jihadi organisation and aiding and abetting Al-Qaeda, have confessed to having links with the jihadist network, the court was told according to the report. They also had direct communication with a senior member of Al-Qaeda, the daily said. However, they told the court that their confessions had been obtained under duress.
The report only identified the suspects as AkW, a 49-year-old project manager, and AsW, a 43-year-old marketing manager, and said they arrived in the emirate in 2008. Prosecutors alleged AkW sent two laptop computers, two telescopes, two pencil torches, two Swiss army knives and a tent to Islamist militantsin Pakistan. His brother is accused of being an accomplice.
Prosecutors said they found a message on AkW’s computer sent to Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, Al-Qaeda’s purported number three and Osama bin Laden’s former treasurer who was later killed in a drone strike on May 21.
AkW categorically denied the court charges, saying all his actions were done out of goodwill, the daily reported. The case was adjourned on the request of one of their three Emirati lawyers, the daily said without specifying the date of the next hearing.
