New York District Court orders damages in claim against agents of “corrupt UAE ruler” who “targeted him due to his intricate knowledge of illicit oil trade with Iran, contraband trade and loss of billions of dollars of state funds”.
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The United Arab Emirates has been exploiting its friendship with the US for some years and is perhaps, even more emboldened with the latest Trump initiated peace deals. But the international courts are finally circling in on belligerent shenanigans and the especially rogue behaviour of UAE rulers. In this case, the spotlight is on Sheikh Saud Al Qsssimi, the ruler of the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, and his entourage of US based support operatives.
Ambassador of the World Free Zone Convention and ex-CEO of RAKFTZA, US national Oussama El Omari sued a number of defendants in the New York District Court. El Omari was one of many victims of Sheikh Saud’s purge when he seized power in Ras Al Khaimah and has been targeted ever since.
Oussama El Omari, target in Sheikh Saud's purge
Mr El Omari, in his claim against James Buchanan, Dechert lawyers, Andrew D Frank, Karv Communications, Intelligence Online et al., said these parties have “crossed the line, acting as propaganda agents” to a “corrupt foreign dictator in the Middle East, Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi”.
To gain power, “Sheikh Saud had to depose his half-brother Sheikh Khalid as legitimate Crown Prince and El Omari’s prior boss, Sheikh Faisal”, and embarked on a plan to discredit, target and jail those former employees of Sheikh Faisal that he considered a threat.
El Omari names Andrew D. Frank (a/k/a Andrew D. Solomon) and Amir Ali Handjani of Karv Communications, a PR agency as a defendant and Intelligence Online, a France based Intelligence focussed publication, alongside US lawyers Dechert and partner Neil Gerrard, who are also being sued in the US and UK for their role in torture and human rights violations against other victims in RAK. Neil Gerrard stepped down from his partnership position at Dechert following English High Court claims launched this year. James Buchanan, who acted as a “white knight” for Sheikh Saud, was named in the suit.
Andrew Frank of Karv Communications. Click on image for source.
Outlined in the suit, is a consorted smear campaign against El Omari and his former employer, Sheikh Faisal, who remains a risk to Sheikh Saud’s tenuous rule.
HH Sheikh Faisal Bin Saqr Al Qasimi
“El Omari is not the only victim”, said Radha Stirling, founder of Detained in Dubai and an Expert Witness, who is representing Mr El Omari and a number of clients against the government of Ras Al Khaimah and its agents, “Farhad Azima has taken his own legal actions, citing a multitude of serious and criminal offences against him, including hacking. Azima names Dechert, Neil Gerrard, Andrew Frank and Buchanan in his suit. Then we have both Karam Sadeq and Jihad Quzzma, who are victims of the purge and currently in jail in RAK, suing Dechert in the High Court of England for human rights violations and torture. Johnson George, who was part of the legal team at RAKFTZA, has also been kept as a political hostage in the Emirate while Dr Khater Massaad, Gela Mikadze and others, have fought against the lawless crackdown.
What’s clear is that the list of victims has not even been tallied yet and many of them have confided in us, but not gone public yet.
“Of great concern is the potential motive for their crusade against El Omari. Saud had sought to meet an Iranian group who had wanted to run Chinese funds through the Emirate and on to Iran in violation of US sanctions, amongst other irregular activities including human trafficking and smuggling. Mr Mohammed Moharizi, the government’s customs official, had been again, circumventing Iranian sanctions by handing operation of RAK’s port to an undercover Iranian government company. When brought to the attention of Abu Dhabi, an investigation was forced. Moharizi was sent to Australia to “study”, and a US company was employed to produce a fraudulent report blaming RAKFTZA and Sheikh Faisal for the illicit Iranian trade.
“The production of fake reports and false expert testimony is commonplace in the UAE. In fact, I have two victims right now who are suing external Western companies for their expert reports that were manufactured for the Emirati elite.
“El Omari was privy to Saud’s Iran dealings, and his $2billion spending spree that went pear shaped. Saud had to justify his losses so fabricated allegations of fraud, embezzlement and plundering ensued. A series of Interpol abuse cases, arrests at home and abroad, with sophisticated smear campaigns and distractional tactics ostensibly designed to scapegoat disposable foreign nationals. The ones who left, wound up on Interpol and those who stayed, were jailed.
Sheikh Saud Bin Al Qassimi, Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah
“RAK’s use of Western public relations and law firms has implicated several British and US companies in unlawful and rogue actions and, in El Omari’s case, KARV communications has chosen to side with a shady Middle Eastern ruler acting against an innocent US citizen. This brings the UAE’s fight to America’s jurisdiction where at least, victims stand a chance of achieving a fair hearing.
“El Omari outlines how Saud instructed public relations agents used Intelligence Online to publish defamatory misinformation which would then be a tool to manipulate El Omari’s personal Wikipedia page. Intelligence online has been ordered to compensate Mr El Omari, an amount to be determined at an inquest.
“The lawlessness of rogue Ras Al Khaimah doesn’t stop with Iran deals, slander, Interpol abuse, forced confessions, fabricated expert reports or even torture. In desperate attempts to contain the out of control web of deceit, spun by the erratic Sheikh, it seems the government thought it would be a top idea to add espionage to its list of offences against US and foreign citizens.
“Anyone who is an opponent of RAK, is likely a target of traditional and digital espionage. I myself have been targeted by the Emirate for my ongoing advocacy in the region. Earlier this year, Mr El Omari was contacted by a spy who embarked on a sophisticated attempt to extract information under the pretence of being a journalist from Fox News. We are not the only ones. There are several lawsuits in play, including our own, against agents of Ras Al Khaimah for the unlawful hacking of myself, my colleagues and clients who are litigating against RAK and their agents. RAK has been using Indian, Israeli and other foreign agents to facilitate espionage against litigants and their associates.
Radha Stirling, Press Conference
“We fully intend to take this issue to the US and UK governments. It is not acceptable that a strong ally of the United States is engaging in devious and unlawful acts against US citizens. We are talking about a foreign state, spying on victims of human rights a buses, their lawyers and human rights advocates.
“What Mr El Omari and others have had to endure is exceptionable. This lawsuit represents the first in a series of victories against RAK’s tyranny, and will serve as a warning to ethically challenged PR, law and security firms, that they will be held to account for acts against citizens”.
Inside Arabia Detained in Dubai: Stories of Injustice in the Gulf Part 5: Misprision of Justice Against American Businessman Oussama El Omari:
Radha Stirling founded Detained in Dubai in 2008 and has since helped and advised more than 15,000 foreign nationals facing trouble in the UAE. Stirling is an expert witness, civil and criminal justice specialist, legislative, investment risk, business and policy advisor to the public and private sectors, speaker and host of the Gulf in Justice Podcast, covering the region in depth.