UAE’s Covert Disinformation Campaign: Targeting Muslims in Europe
Leaked Reports Reveal Abu Dhabi’s Role in Funding Smear Campaigns and Espionage Against Islamic Figures and Organizations.
Watan-Western reports have revealed the UAE’s involvement in a major disinformation campaign against Muslims in Europe, orchestrated through a Swiss company specializing in defamation and espionage. According to leaked documents, Abu Dhabi funded intelligence operations targeting Islamic figures and organizations in 18 European countries, aiming to smear their image and falsely link them to extremist networks.
A report published by the French newspaper Le Monde indicated that the UAE enlisted the services of the Swiss company Alp Services, which specializes in spreading disinformation and creating fake social media accounts, as part of a long-term plan to combat Muslims in the West. The illicit activities included sharing the names of thousands of individuals with Emirati intelligence and targeting Islamic institutions operating in Europe.
The goal was not merely to monitor these activists but to pressure European governments into banning their activities and demonizing them in the media. Through these tactics, the UAE successfully promoted an anti-Islamic narrative that aligned with far-right agendas and fueled the rising wave of Islamophobia across Europe.
The UAE’s actions were not limited to smear campaigns; they also extended to funding anti-Muslim figures, such as activist Amjad Taha, who is known for his relentless attacks on Muslim communities in the West. Reports also documented large donations to Western media outlets to amplify the narrative of “radical Islam” and justify crackdowns on Muslims, serving the interests of repressive and normalization-seeking regimes in the Middle East.
The UAE’s attempts to silence Muslim voices in Europe are not new. Abu Dhabi has previously backed lobbying groups advocating for restrictive religious laws under the pretext of “counterterrorism.” This comes at a time when anti-Islamic movements are growing across Europe, making this campaign a serious threat to Muslim communities and their civil rights.
The latest scandal has exposed the extent of Abu Dhabi’s investment in buying political and media influence while working to shape a negative stereotype of Muslims. While human rights organizations continue to call for a thorough investigation into these violations, questions remain about the extent of European governments’ complicity in this covert war against Islam.
