UK £2 www.thearabweekly.com Issue 166, Year 4 July 22, 2018 EU €2.50 The Asilah Chinese drones in the Moussem’s debates Middle East Page 22 Page 17 Leaked messages point to big Qatari ransom payouts to terrorist groups ► The ransom amount of $1 billion is likely to be the highest paid to terrorist groups. Mohammed Alkhereiji London rivate correspondence be- tween top Qatari officials indicates that Qatar paid P more than $1 billion to ter- ror groups to release 26 people kidnapped in Iraq. The ransom amount is likely to be the highest ever paid to terrorist groups. Text and voice messages ob- tained by the BBC purportedly Dangerous bribes. Members of the Iraqi Hezbollah Brigades carry flags during a ceremony in Baghdad, last June. (AFP) show Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrah- man bin Jassim al-Thani and Qa- Lebanese pro-Iranian Hezbollah Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt, ana- Qatar has denied funding extrem- In addition to detailing recent tari Ambassador to Iraq Zayed al- militia and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a lysts said. ist groups and said the presumed ransom payments, the leaked re- Khayareen engaged in drawn-out renamed al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, “The payment of the largest ran- hostage payments were made to cordings hint at a longstanding pat- negotiations involving large sums as well as individuals acting as me- som sum to terrorist groups took the Iraqi state but the BBC report tern of Qatari support for terror. of money with designated ter- diators. place about a month and a half be- contradicts that stance. In one voicemail for a Kata’ib ror groups to secure the release of It was also revealed that Qatar fore Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain In one leaked message, Khaya- Hezbollah leader, Khayareen refer- prominent Qatari hostages. helped facilitate a deadly “four- and Egypt severed their ties with reen points out specific terror ences a payment to the terror group The hostages, including mem- towns deal” in Syria, mediated Qatar,” wrote Saudi commenta- groups that expected payment: signed off by the country’s former bers of the Qatari royal family, were by Iranian Major-General Qassem tor Salman al-Dossary in Asharq “The Syrian, Hezbollah Lebanon emir: “You should trust Qatar, you kidnapped by Kata’ib Hezbollah, Soleimani, who was a central play- Al-Awsat. “The ransom deal could and Kata’ib Hezbollah Iraq all want know what Qatar did, what His an Iraqi Shia paramilitary group er in the hostage negotiations. That have been the straw that broke the money and this is their chance,” the Highness the Emir’s father did,” supported by Iran, during a fal- arrangement saw thousands of Syr- camel’s back.” ambassador texted the foreign min- Khayareen said. “He did many conry excursion in southern Iraq in ian citizens forcibly uprooted and “Members of the Saudi-led quar- ister. things, this and that, and paid 50 December 2015. resettled as part of an Iranian plan tet have waited for too long and “Soleimani met with the kidnap- million and provided infrastructure The messages suggest Qatar paid to shift the country’s demograph- tried to change the behaviour of pers yesterday and pressured them for the south.” more than $1 billion, plus $150 mil- ics. Qatar but to no avail. Blatantly fi- to take the $1b[illion],” the ambas- lion in kickbacks, to various terror The ransom deal, and Qatar’s nancing terrorist groups, however, sador said in another message. Mohammed Alkhereiji is the Gulf groups to have the hostages re- suspicious dealings with Soleima- sent a clear message to the four “They didn’t respond because of section editor of The Arab Weekly. leased. The recipients of the pay- ni, widened the rift between Qatar countries that Qatar will not end its their financial condition… Soleim- ments included Kata’ib Hezbollah, and Saudi Arabia, the United Arab destructive behaviour,” he wrote. ani will go back.” P2 Iraq protests rattle politicians but fail to bring any big change Mamoon Alabbasi ment buildings and ransacking of of- opposed protests,” he said. “On the fices of dominant political parties. contrary, I consider them beneficial Rights groups said the response by as they energise politicians… and London security forces was heavy-handed pressure them to work but when even when demonstrations were [protests] turn violent, then we re- rotests across southern Iraq peaceful. ject that. It would be counterpro- rattled the country’s po- “We are closely monitoring the ductive and destroy what has been litical class, prompting the escalating situation across south- built.” P government to promise to ern Iraq and are extremely worried Observers say, however, that meet some of the demonstrators’ by reports that security forces are shortages in jobs and basic services demands, while security forces beating, arbitrarily detaining and are among the symptoms of much cracked down on riots. However, even opening fire on peaceful pro- deeper problems in Iraq. observers say little change in condi- testers,” said Lynn Maalouf, Am- “No real or significant changes tions is expected soon. nesty International’s deputy direc- can be made unless the constitu- tor for the Middle East and North tion changes to cancel the items Africa. that provide the required umbrella Suadad al-Salhy, “Deliberately disabling the inter- for the sectarian and ethnic powers an Iraqi journalist in Baghdad net is a sinister restriction to the sharing system,” said Suadad al-Sal- right to freedom of expression and hy, an Iraqi journalist in Baghdad. strongly indicates that the authori- “The root of all Iraq’s problems The root of all Iraq’s ties have something to hide. We is the financial and administrative problems is the financial and fear this blackout is deliberately de- Lights off. An Iraqi man holds up a gas lamp as he takes part in a corruption… rampant in all the administrative corruption… signed to give carte blanche to the demonstration against hikes in fuel prices in Najaf, on July 13. (AFP) state’s departments, including the rampant in all the state’s security forces to repress peaceful judiciary.” departments, including the activists without being recorded ers’ demands and promised Basra people’s urgent needs despite mass “This corruption is legalised and judiciary. and held accountable.” residents 10,000 jobs, in addition protests from 2011 till today. protected by the constitution so all Basra’s residents have frequently to spending $3 billion on electricity The protests received vocal sup- attempts that have been achieved complained they see little benefits and water projects. Media reports port from Grand Ayatollah Ali al- or will be achieved to counter it will Demonstrations demanding jobs of the oil their part of the country said Basra’s residents submitted Sistani and influential Shia cleric fail and all that will result in bring- and better services began in the oil- produces. They claim members of more than 60,000 applications for Muqtada al-Sadr, whose political ing temporary solutions for perma- rich city of Basra on July 8 but soon the country’s political parties and those 10,000 promised jobs. bloc won the most seats in May’s nent problems,” she added. spread to other cities in predomi- Shia militias, as well as foreign “The protests will continue but national elections. nately Shia southern Iraq. companies, enjoy special privileges in a more organised manner,” Mo- Even Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Mamoon Alabbasi is Deputy Some of the protests were violent in the city. hamed al-Salami, an Iraqi activist, al-Abadi said he welcomed the pro- Managing Editor and Online Editor — at least nine people were killed The government formed a com- told Sharqiya TV. He accused suc- tests. — and there was damage to govern- mittee to investigate the protest- cessive governments of ignoring “I encourage protests. I’ve never P3,7 2 July 22, 2018 News & Analysis Qatar Billion-dollar payoff raises questions about Qatar’s ties to terrorist groups Mohammed Alkhereiji misleading impression.” “Hezbollah Lebanon and Kata’ib Hezbollah Iraq, all want money and London this is their chance,” read a message from Qatari Ambassador to Iraq ext messages released Zayed al-Khayareen to Qatari For- by the BBC suggest Doha eign Minister Sheikh Mohammed paid more than $1 bil- bin Abdulrahman al-Thani lion to designated terror “They are using this situation to groups to secure the re- benefit… All of them are thieves,” Tlease of dozens of wealthy Qatari the message said. falconers abducted in southern Iraq In addition to money, the kidnap- between December 2015 and April pers demanded Qatar leave the Sau- 2017. di-led coalition fighting Shia rebels The exchanges raise questions in Yemen and help win the release about the nature of Doha’s ties to of Iranian soldiers held prisoner by certain extremist groups and ter- rebels in Syria, the BBC reported. rorist organisations in the Middle Qatar was also pushed to arrange East, analysts say. a strategic population transfer be- Those presumed payments and tween Shia/Sunni towns on con- the political scheming they reveal flicting sides of the Syrian war. support concerns voiced by Saudi That “four towns agreement,” Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, brokered by Iranian Major-General Bahrain and Egypt about Doha’s Qassem Soleimani, leader of the Is- suspected support for extremism lamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ and ties to Iran. al-Quds force, “was a controversial Qatar received word on December and ambitious scheme, with dark 16, 2015, that 26 members of a hunt- overtones of ethnic cleansing,” the ing party, including members of the New York Times reported in March, royal family, had been kidnapped “but if it worked, it could entrench by Kata’ib Hezbollah, an Iraqi Shia Iranian influence in Syria for the paramilitary group backed by Iran.