Dubai's deputy security chief claims Turkey is ‘evil,’ wants to harm UAE with Qatar
Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police Lt. Gen. Dhahi Khalfan Tamim (L) speaks during a press conference at the Dubai Police Headquarters in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on 24 March 2011. (EPA Photo)


Roughly a week after United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan's slanders on Turks and Ottomans caused a spat between the two countries, another Emirati official took to Twitter to attack Turkey and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, the deputy chief of police and public security for the Emirate of Dubai, posted a series of tweets claiming Turkey under Erdoğan is evil and that Turkey and Qatar are part of a secret organization that aims against the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

In his tweets, Khalfan said: "Turkey led by Erdoğan is an evil country. We must fight with Tanzim al-Hamdeen (Hamdeen Organization) in the Gulf on all levels. Any hesitation in believing that Qatar betrayed us under the leadership of the Hamdeen organization is an ignorance of the seriousness of this organization against us. The plan of Turkey and Qatar as I expect, and God knows the status of the north of Saudi Arabia in Qatar and the base in Suakin in the south on the end of the Sudanese border ... To protect the rebellion planned by Muslim Brotherhood so that these remain the wings of protection of the organization." Khalfan previously directed many insults against the Turkish president.

The so-called Hamdeen organization claimed by Khalfan refers to two Hamads from Qatar's ruling Thani dynasty: former Qatari Emir Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani and former Qatari Foreign Minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani.

The UAE, on the other hand, has been accused of supporting plots in Turkey against the Turkish government, including the July 15, 2016, coup attempt of the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) as well as Ankara's role in the broader region.

The two countries also do not share the same view on the recent crisis in Qatar, which has been involved in a bitter spat with its Gulf neighbors. Turkey has voiced its support for Qatar as some regional countries, including the UAE, imposed sanctions on the country, claiming that it was ignoring terrorist activities. Ankara has been at the forefront of providing aid to Qatar to meet the basic needs of the people. Turkey also seeks to enhance military ties with the country, conducting joint military exercises at its base in Doha.

Tamim, who has 2.5 million followers on his Twitter account, is known for his remarks that angered many Arabs last year. In March 2016, he stated that Palestinians should abandon their aspiration for an independent state and merge with Israeli Jews in a united, bi-national state instead, which would also serve as an alliance against "enemies of the Middle East" meaning Iran.

Following the Daesh-linked terrror attack in a mosque in Egypt's Sinai killing 305 people on Nov. 24, Khalfan tweeted: "The alliance must bomb the machine of terrorism ... the channel of Daesh, al-Qaeda and the al-Nusra front, Al Jazeera the terrorists."

"For how long will they [Al Jazeera] continue to tamper with the security of Egypt and the Arab world?"

Khalfan previously announced "complete support" for U.S. President Trump's travel ban on seven Muslim countries. "Every country has the right to protect its security ... Trump, what you're doing is right," he said.

In October, Khalfan's comments caught controversy once again when he said the only way for "Qatar's crisis" to end is if Doha gave up hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Meanwhile on Wednesday, UAE Minister of State and Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said there was a need for Arab countries to rally around the "Arab axis" of Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

"The sectarian and partisan view is not an acceptable alternative, and the Arab world will not be led by Tehran or Ankara," he wrote on his official Twitter page.

Last week, Turkey summoned the charge d'affaires at the UAE embassy in Ankara, after UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan shared a tweet that accused Turkish troops of looting the holy city of Medina a century ago. The tweet was referring to the 3-year-long defense of Islam's second holiest site Medina by Ottoman Turkish troops commanded by Fahreddin Pasha during World War I against rebelling Arab tribes backed by the British.

Erdoğan himself lashed out during an awards ceremony in Ankara: "While Fahreddin Pasha was conducting the defense of Medina, you, the miserable one slandering us, where were your ancestors?"

"Rulers of some countries who don't know their place, history or diplomatic courtesy, cannot cast their shadow with our brotherhood with Arab peoples. We will not leave the scene to those who denigrate unity of Muslims for the sake of their own personal gains," he said.

Turkey's state-run Anadolu newspaper reported Saturday that Turkey plans to rename the street where the UAE embassy is located in Ankara after Fahreddin Pasha.