Big scandal of Saudi and Emirati diplomats in Lebanon and Iraq; From embezzlement of millions of dollars to immoral relationships.
In recent years, the influence of spies, especially from the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf, in Lebanon to act against the resistance or with other motives and, most importantly, in the service of the Zionist regime, has been a significant issue.
In this regard, Al-Akhbar newspaper in an article written by “Ibrahim Amin” the editor of this newspaper examined the presence of spies in Lebanon and wrote that many spies representing foreign countries as well as Arab countries in the form of supporting civil society or non-governmental organizations. The government is inciting sedition in Lebanon or inciting resistance.
But over the past five years, the Lebanese have become quite familiar with the two figures in the form of a diplomatic mission, which is in fact a cover for their security activities. One is Hamad al-Shamsi, the former ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Lebanon, and the other is Thamer al-Sabhan, who previously worked at the Saudi embassy in Beirut and later became the special representative and adviser to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Al-Shamsi, the man of false relationships
Hamad al-Shamsi, who left Beirut shortly before to serve as the UAE ambassador to Egypt and the country’s representative to the Arab League, remains in touch with Lebanon and has not severed ties in this regard. The Emirati official was well-known for his public relations activities, and worked in Beirut to build an extensive network of contacts with politicians, the media, artists and celebrities, and even security officials.
He was also recognized as a source of financial support for prominent Lebanese media associations and institutions. Al-Shamsi also worked with an Emirati security official with diplomatic responsibilities in Lebanon to build a network of Lebanese “collaborators” to obtain information from Hezbollah and the resistance and its supporters in Lebanon and the UAE.
In addition, he used his diplomatic position in Beirut to use his country’s spies, including those working in official security agencies, to gather information from some individuals and file cases against them. Al-Shamsi’s activities are directly related to the expulsion of dozens of Lebanese and Palestinians from the UAE under the pretext of collaborating with Hezbollah or Hamas.
Hamad al-Shamsi was elected UAE ambassador to Lebanon in 2015 and remained in office until the end of last year, when he moved to Cairo last February as his country’s ambassador to Egypt and the UAE representative in the Arab League. Since then, no official successor has been appointed to him in Lebanon, and his mission is divided among several people. Indicators also show that al-Shamsi continues to be associated with several Lebanese figures, especially in the media.
Last week, news of al-Shamsi’s involvement in various scandals sparked rumors in Cairo of immoral relationships and the arrest of al-Shamsi in a state of extreme drunkenness, while strongly criticizing Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and officials. The country’s prominent security official was insulted and proud of his country’s high influence in all Egyptian government institutions.
It was later revealed that Egyptian officials obtained evidence that al-Shamsi had smuggled Egyptian antiquities and sold them to people or auctioned them off in Europe as part of security services’ operations to combat the antiquities trade. After an extensive investigation, the evidence was documented and it was revealed that he had abused his position as ambassador and diplomat to carry out these operations and in the name of Hamad Mubarak al-Shamsi, the former head of the UAE Security Service, to facilitate his fraudulent operations.
Al-Shamsi secretly transferred from Cairo to Abu Dhabi and arrested.
Cairo called on Abu Dhabi officials to take practical action against him after examining the Egyptian intelligence service, personal files and theft cases, as well as al-Shamsi’s relationship with women. Al-Shamsi was secretly transferred from Cairo to Abu Dhabi and is still in custody, according to informed sources.
