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UK says UAE terror risk is 'high'

Dubai emirate in particular has become a major tourist destination
British nationals in the United Arab Emirates have been warned there is now a high risk of a terror attack there.

Travel advice from the UK Foreign Office said terrorists might be planning indiscriminate attacks in places frequented by expatriates.

It did not give details about why there was believed to be a more serious threat than the general one previously issued to UK nationals.

Unlike neighbour Saudi Arabia, the UAE has had no major terrorism incidents.

Expatriates make up a majority of the population of the oil-rich state, which consists of seven individual emirates, including the main ones Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It is also a major tourist destination.

"High" is the most serious of four terrorism risk levels which the Foreign Office uses in its warnings, the others being "general", "underlying" and "low".

Security awareness

British officials do not usually comment on the reasons for specific changes in its foreign travel advice, but say conditions in overseas countries are constantly under review.

"There is a high threat from terrorism," an official travel advice notice for the country said. "We believe terrorists may be planning to carry out attacks in the UAE."

The web-posted advice says attacks could happen at any time and may target residential compounds, military, oil, transport and aviation interests.

"You should maintain a high level of security awareness, particularly in public places," the advice says.

However, the advice is prefaced by an assurance that the "vast majority of visits" to the UAE are "trouble-free".

At least 100,000 UK citizens are resident in the UAE and more than one million Britons travelled there in 2006, the British embassy says.

I've also just read this news article on the BBC website.

Does this scare the expats that are living out there currently?

How much does this put off those looking at heading out there?

Currently in the UK, I'm currently look at work opportunities out there. Will be monitoring the situation with keen interest, but def would be interested in the thoughts and comments from others.

Thx in advance.

Idiotic drivers and fear of some locally cooked food stuff scare me more - seriously!

I just recieved an e-mail from my help desk at HO, and they are giving us warnings to stay out of tourist areas and
etc ? no smoke without fire me thinks !!

not wanting to come accross as blase or anything, but I'm sure it will all blow over.
The UAE govt will be doing everything within their power to prevent a sniff of anything happening here.
Can you imagine what a blow to the economy even a failed terrorist plot would have.
Just look at how Bali was affected.
I don't doubt that there will be fanatics and sympathisers out there in the UAE, but they're probably being dragged from beds under the cover of darkness for some off the record questioning.

I feel safer here than I do in the UK, that's for sure. These threats are being made all the time. The powers that be will just throw some more money at the guys making the threats to make them shut up again for a while.

Chocoholic wrote: The powers that be will just throw some more money at the guys making the threats to make them shut up again for a while.

Is that what we have to do to get rich ?

please,
cool me with these announcements there are some interests in these news.Competition on the tourism market is too high and UAE doesn't have any interest to lose it's income from tourists.

in UAE there is no religious "purity" like in Saudi Arabia to have some problems.Law is very enforced in UAE and is starting in Saudi.

so many lived so much here in UAE and there is no story that hey were attacked in a "terrorist way"

You felt you needed to write 3 seperate posts whih make no sense whatsoever? - pfff

Chocoholic wrote:I feel safer here than I do in the UK, that's for sure. These threats are being made all the time. The powers that be will just throw some more money at the guys making the threats to make them shut up again for a while.

The government is feeling for the Caucasians leaving UK everyday and wanna scare them to come home. Funny thing is home is biggest target

Chocoholic wrote:I feel safer here than I do in the UK, that's for sure. These threats are being made all the time. The powers that be will just throw some more money at the guys making the threats to make them shut up again for a while.

are you accusing UAE GOV of being financially supportive and cooperative with them dear ?

desert surfer wrote:
The government is feeling for the Caucasians leaving UK everyday and wanna scare them to come home. Funny thing is home is biggest target

How true you are sir...

firefingers wrote:

Chocoholic wrote:I feel safer here than I do in the UK, that's for sure. These threats are being made all the time. The powers that be will just throw some more money at the guys making the threats to make them shut up again for a while.

are you accusing UAE GOV of being financially supportive and cooperative with them dear ?

FF, It is a very well known fact that the UAE Gov does pay certain organisations to leave the place alone. It's not an accusation, because we very well know that it happens.

Chocoholic wrote:

firefingers wrote:

Chocoholic wrote:I feel safer here than I do in the UK, that's for sure. These threats are being made all the time. The powers that be will just throw some more money at the guys making the threats to make them shut up again for a while.

are you accusing UAE GOV of being financially supportive and cooperative with them dear ?

FF, It is a very well known fact that the UAE Gov does pay certain organisations to leave the place alone. It's not an accusation, because we very well know that it happens.

This is also something that I've heard - just yesterday in fact.

For those that are still in the UK considering making the move out there (like moi), I've not heard of it detering too many people.

I've also now looked on the FCO website to check out the status of other countries... interesting reading, and I guess it puts it all into context.

x x x

To be honest the whole world is at risk regardless of where you are...

Well exactly. You know what if it's going to happen, it'll happen, you can't keep running scared of these morons.

I did not read or hear any Warnnings to their Citizens in the UK prior to the Terrsorist attacks

Chocoholic wrote:Well exactly. You know what if it's going to happen, it'll happen, you can't keep running scared of these morons.

So you'd take your chances in Iraq or Afganistan as it could happen anywhere? Some places are riskier than others so it is prudent to check it out first and consider any warnings and make an informed decision.

Chat between drunk men sparked terror warning

By Bassma Al Jandaly, Staff Reporter
Published: June 20, 2008, 00:08


Dubai: A personal conversation between two drunk men in a hotel bar led the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi to issue the recent terror attack warning, Gulf News has learnt.

The embassy on June 14 posted a warning on its website against a terror attack in the UAE.

A diplomatic source said the warning was issued based on a personal conversation between the two Arab men in the Hemingway bar in the Hiltonia Hotel in Abu Dhabi. The bar is frequented by hundreds of Britons and Americans.

One drunk man told the other in jest: "If someone wants to scare all these people and make them run away, just say there is a bomb. A belt bomb will kill hundreds of them."

The source said it is believed that Britons sitting near the men overheard the conversation and thought it was serious.


They reported the matter to their embassy who immediately issued the terror alert. The travel advisory said: "The attacks could be indiscriminate and could happen at any time, including in places frequented by expats ... You should maintain a high level of security awareness."

http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/General/10222475.html

Is it just me or does it sound that sound a bit crazy????

Chocoholic wrote:

firefingers wrote:

Chocoholic wrote:I feel safer here than I do in the UK, that's for sure. These threats are being made all the time. The powers that be will just throw some more money at the guys making the threats to make them shut up again for a while.

are you accusing UAE GOV of being financially supportive and cooperative with them dear ?

FF, It is a very well known fact that the UAE Gov does pay certain organisations to leave the place alone. It's not an accusation, because we very well know that it happens.

Well dommy facts needs proves and evidence !!! your small mind is being washed by media ? maybe it is just an excuse from your governments why they can't protect their won homeland from amateur criminals walking around their cities crying bombs ? and sadly you pay taxes for that !!

If you failed to do it , it does not mean no one cant stupid. You guys just can not admit that we can do things better than you hah, it is killing you from inside.

And even if your stupid assumption is true , then I guess we are paying them not to kill you, you are their target anyway .. oops

for ones write a statement that is built on an actual fact not something you heard from a drunk buddy of yours. but you and your kind are like sheep's one tek from your lords takes you left and the other takes you right, have your won sense and write something useful and intelligent, just for ones stupid.