The terrorism charges against two Libyan-Americans and a Libyan-Canadian were dropped by the state security prosecutors of UAE. The suspects were instead charged with raising funds illegally for a certain rebel group.
During the initial phase of the case, the suspects were charged with financing two Libyan rebel groups which are affiliated to the Muslim Brotherhood that is considered a terrorist organization by the UAE law. The suspects were arrested following the UAE's airstrikes against Islamist rebel group in Libya. As reported by BBC, all the suspects were arrested in 2014 and were brought with no outside communication to a secret detention with solitary confinement for a long period of time.
The defendants in the case were identified as Americans Kamal al-Darrat, 59, together with his son Mohammed al-Darrat, 34, Libyan-Canadian Sami Alaradi, 46, and Libyan national, Issa Almanna. All of them are longtime residents of UAE and were considered successful in their chosen business as per Voice of America News.
The prosecutors charged the suspects of providing goods and funds to the organization without any given approval by the UAE according to attorney Paul Champ. He added that they will be facing a 15-year sentence if they are proven guilty.
The defendants, however, didn't deny the fact that they are providing funds for the Libyan National Transitional Council but with documents approved from the UAE government. The defendants claimed that they were tortured during their stay in detention.
As reported by Vice News, Alaradi has a total of 15 scars all over his body from being beaten up in 2014. Alaradi and Mohammed were brought in a secret location by the state security guards. They were then interrogated regarding their known affiliation with Libyan politicians and authorities.
Champ believed that the defendants were treated as a sacrificial lamb by the UAE in order to get its interest regarding the current situation in Libya.
