The crown prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed is the leading figure on much of the UAE’s foreign policy. He is undoubtedly the key player in the recent developments in the Gulf region. His main advisers are three influential figures who have been able to make great strides for the Sheikh. Mohammed bin Zayed seeks to impose his military and security power on his neighbors and accordingly has tried to make the best out of the strong connections of Saudi Arabia. The current article attempts to provide an analysis of Mohammed bin Zayed’s main advisers and his security approaches regarding the foreign affairs of his country.
Loading ...Sheikh Tahnoun
Advisor to the National Security of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Tahnoun is the key person in Mohammed bin Zayed’s think tank who has extensive contacts with influential figures in Arab countries and attempts to develop the UAE’s lobby in Arab countries by carrying out economic projects.
Mohammed Dahlan is one of the influential figures of Sheikh Tahnoun who plays the role of mediator between Mossad and Egyptian authorities and Palestinian groups. Sheikh Tahnoun makes use of more than five individuals in each Arab country, such as Dahlan working for the interest and benefit of the UAE.
Ali al-Shamsi
Deputy Secretary-General of the SNSC Ali al Shamsi is responsible for building a widespread security infrastructure throughout the Arab world. The United Arab Emirates today has extensive relations with telecommunications infrastructure companies as well as the intelligence services of the CIA and Mossad.
In this regard, Faisal Al Bannai is one of the mainstays of Ali al-Shamsi. According to the Intelligence Online magazine, DARKMATTER was founded in November 2015 Faisal Al Bannai, owner of the telephone company Axiom and it has quickly made its mark as the United Arab Emirates’ main high-tech surveillance outfit. Officially, the firm is a simply an integrator of cyber-security technology from the likes of Symantec, Microsoft or NetApp, and deals exclusively with defensive security. The noteworthy issue at stake is that it employs dozens of offensive security specialists, including former NSA people. Al Bannai is thought to be the main architect of a nationwide mobile telephone interception network being installed by the Emirati intelligence services, and whose long term objective to be able to hack into any mobile device throughout neighbor Arab countries remotely and trace any mobile device installed by Emirati intelligence services.
Pegasus LLC is the new subsidiary of DarkMatter. The company is established to pitch its big data analysis and visualization solution to intelligence services. by mining of big data obtained from mass telecommunications interceptions, Pegasus maps rapidly criminal or terrorist networks as well as supplying lists of suspects contacts.
DarkMatter has recruited high-profile individuals to launch Pegasus. The new subsidiary is headed by Peng Xiao, the former technical director of the professional business intelligence software company MicroStrategy. And its chief operating officer is Chris Savos, the former “lead talent officer” of the CIAs powerful Directorate of Analysis.
The company is responsible for phone tapping all the conversations between the sheikhs and the rulers within the UAE and also all the figures in the governing body of the countries in the region and then providing information to Ali al-Shamsi. According to the Intelligence Online magazine, all conversations in Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and even Saudi Arabia and Egypt are now available to the intelligence agencies of the UAE.
Turki al-Dakhil
A strong connection exists between Mohammed bin Zayed and Turki al-Dakhil, the General Manager of Al Arabiya Television News Network in Dubai. Turki al-Dakhil has simultaneously been Mohammed bin Salman’s advisor and the main character in establishing a close relationship between Mohammed bin Salman and Mohammed bin Zayed.
Turkish Al-Dakhil can be considered as one of the main media figures of Mohammed bin Salman, who is also closely connected to the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Muhammad bin Zayed. He has also been the head of Al-Mesbar Studies and Research Center in the United Arab Emirates.
Pieces of evidence show that Turki al-Dakhil has been commissioned by Mohammed bin Zayed in 2014 to pursue some of the UAE’s goals in Saudi Arabia, and accordingly he received substantial financial assistance.
After the appointment of King Salman to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, al-Dakhil entered into the main circle of the advisers of Mohammed bin Salman. The friendship between Mohammed bin Salman and Mohammed bin Zayed is indebted to al-Dakhil.
Many analysts believe that al-Dakhil and Mohammed bin Zayed do the math in the UAE, and the results of their calculations are being implemented through the lobby of al-Dakhil in Riyadh by the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia.
After king Salman ousted Mohammad bin Nayef, the influence of al-Dakhil, and consequently, the influence of Mohammed bin Zayed increased in Riyadh. The interests of the UAE in Qatar crisis and in Egypt show that Mohammed bin Zayed has been able to pursue his plans in the Arab countries using his advisers and accordingly he has utilized Saudi capabilities for his political, security and economic games in the best possible ways.
Gulf Region strategists in America and Europe believe that Mohammed bin Zayed is the key man behind the scenes of the Arab region’s developments. “The appointment of Mohammad bin Salman as Saudi Crown Prince” and “Elimination of Mohammed bin Nayef” have certainly taken place with the powerful security influence of Mohammed bin Zayed. The Qatar crisis and the subsequent coup failed by Turkey and Iran’s intervention in support of Qatar was one of the most complex security plans of Mohammed bin Zayed. A noteworthy issue to be also mentioned is that the coup or a widespread security measure for the day of the death of Sultan Qaboos in Oman is one the silent plans of Mohammed bin Zayed
