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{{Short description|2023 investigation into UAE's smear campaign}}
'''Abu Dhabi Secrets''' is an international investigation series revealing the [[Place:United Arab Emirates|United Arab Emirates]]’ influence strategy in [[Earth:Europe|Europe]], particularly in {{wipe|France}},<ref name=MP-01-03-2023>{{Cite news |last1=Philippin |first1=Yann |last2=Rouget |first2=Antton |date=2023-03-01 |title=Une fuite de données révèle l'ingérence des Émirats en France |language=fr |work=Mediapart |url=https://www.mediapart.fr/journal/france/010323/une-fuite-de-donnees-revele-l-ingerence-des-emirats-en-france|access-date=2023-07-16}}</ref><ref name=MP-04-03-2023>{{Cite news |last1=Philippin |first1=Yann |last2=Rouget |first2=Antton |date=2023-03-04 |title=Leaked data shows extent of UAE's meddling in France |language=en |work=Mediapart |url=https://www.mediapart.fr/en/journal/france/040323/leaked-data-shows-extent-uaes-meddling-france|access-date=2023-07-16}}</ref> by financing a [[Philosophy:Smear campaign|smear campaign]] to target opponents of the UAE, that is, Qatar and the Muslim Brotherhood.<ref name=NY-27-03-2023>{{Cite magazine |last=Kirkpatrick |first=David |date=2023-03-27 |title=The Dirty Secrets of a Smear Campaign |language=en |magazine=The New Yorker |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/04/03/the-dirty-secrets-of-a-smear-campaign|access-date=2023-07-16}}</ref>

The investigation is based on confidential documents obtained through a hack into a Swiss-based economic intelligence company, Alp Services by Mario Brero which executed the smear campaign. The documents were obtained by ''Mediapart'' and analyzed by with the European Investigative Collaborations (EIC) media network.<ref name=MP-07-07-2023>{{Cite news |last1=Fayol |first1=Clément |last2=Philippin |first2=Yann |last3=Rouget |first3=Antton |last4=Harari |first4=Antoine |date=2023-07-07 |title=Plus de 200 Français ont été fichés pour le compte des services secrets des Émirats arabes unis |language=fr |work=Mediapart |url=https://www.mediapart.fr/journal/international/070723/plus-de-200-francais-ont-ete-fiches-pour-le-compte-des-services-secrets-des-emirats-arabes-unis|access-date=2023-07-16}}</ref>

== Background ==
In early 2017, when tensions between the United Arab Emirates and Qatar intensified, a former French journalist and a successful special affairs consultant, Roland Jacquard mediated between Alp Services and the UAE government. Jacquard, who became a self-proclaimed expert on Islamist radicalism, recommended the founder of Alp Services, Mario Brero, to the Emiratis. The contract was being supervised by an Emirati spy, Sheikh Matar. Jacquard was entitled to 10% of the payments, but Brero missed paying him commission for certain missions. As part of his Emirati contract, the Frenchman received at least 300,000 euros, which could not be assessed with precision due to the atypical nature of the financial transactions.<ref name=MP-13-07-2023>{{Cite news |last1=Fayol |first1=Clément |last2=Philippin |first2=Yann |last3=Rouget |first3=Antton |last4=Harari |first4=Antoine |date=2023-07-13 |title=ONU, Qatar, Macron : les opérations secrètes du Sheikh Matar, agent des Émirats |language=fr |work=Mediapart |url=https://www.mediapart.fr/journal/international/130723/onu-qatar-macron-les-operations-secretes-du-sheikh-matar-agent-des-emirats|access-date=2023-07-16}}</ref><ref name=MP-01-03-2023 /><ref name=MP-04-03-2023 /><ref name=NY-27-03-2023 />

For secure communication, Mario Brero created two anonymous email accounts using the [[Software:ProtonMail|ProtonMail]] encrypted messaging system. Among the two accounts, one was created for Alp Services and the other for Sheikh Matar.<ref name=MP-01-03-2023 /><ref name=MP-04-03-2023 /> Hackers were able to get access to the Emirati agent’s emails using the credentials that the Emirati had asked Brero to send via [[Software:WhatsApp|WhatsApp]] on 2 October 2017.<ref name=MP-13-07-2023 />

Sheikh Matar used Mario Brero’s services for at least four years. The two met discreetly on various occasion in {{wipe|Switzerland}} and [[Place:Abu Dhabi|Abu Dhabi]].<ref name=MP-01-03-2023 /><ref name=MP-04-03-2023 /> In one of the meetings at the Baur au Lac Hotel in [[Place:Zürich|Zürich]], Matar was accompanied by his superior referred to as “His Excellency” or “Ali” in the leaked documents. The superior was identified as Ali Saeed al-Neyadi, a ministerial level aide to the Emirati royal, Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan.<ref name=NY-27-03-2023 />

Between 21 August 2017 and 30 June 2020, Alp Services received at least 5.7 million euros from the Emirates. The payments made by an Emirati enterprise called Ariaf Studies and Research. However, according to Alp Services’ files, the bills went to the UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.<ref name=MP-07-07-2023 /><ref name=NY-27-03-2023 />

== Reactions ==

''Sihem Souid'', a Qatari lobbyist in France, filed a complaint against Alp Services and Mario Brero in March 2023. She accused them of invasion of privacy, home invasion, attack on the secrecy of correspondence, and theft. She claimed she was the victim of "a destabilization enterprise" that would target Qatar on behalf of the United Arab Emirates.<ref>{{cite web|date=31 March 2023|title=Une lobbyiste du Qatar en France dépose une plainte visant les Émirats arabes unis|url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/une-lobbyiste-du-qatar-en-france-depose-une-plainte-visant-les-emirats-arabes-unis-20230331}}</ref>

Belgium requested full explanations and clarifications from the [[Place:United Arab Emirates|United Arab Emirates]] ambassador in Brussels on 7 July 2023, and Belgian authorities registered official protests on 9 July against a defamation campaign by the UAE against officials in Brussels.<ref>{{cite web|date=9 July 2023|title=Belgium summons UAE ambassador over 'Muslim Brotherhood smear campaign'|url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/belgium-summons-uae-ambassador-muslim-brotherhood-smear-campaign}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=10 July 2023|title=Belgium protests against UAE allegations about officials|url=https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230710-belgium-protests-against-uae-allegations-about-officials/}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
*{{Cite web |title=Abu Dhabi Secrets  |url=https://eic.network/projects/abu-dhabi-secrets.html |access-date=2023-07-19 |website=eic.network}}



[[Category:Data breaches]]

{{Sourceattribution|Abu Dhabi Secrets}}