The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is carrying out covert operations, intelligence warfare and espionage in Europe, backed by Israel and allowed by the West—part of the Emirate’s strategy to boost its rogue influence.
TheDarkBox’s intelligence-focused account shed light on how the UAE exploits Europe while dodging accountability. According to the account, the UAE’s increasing influence in Europe is operated by Israeli support, which includes espionage, infiltration, and political manipulation.
Additionally, key players were identified in the UAE’s secret operations in Europe: Lorenzo Vidino – Referred to as an “academic informant,” Italian-American researcher Vidino is believed to have provided intelligence to the UAE, including surveillance on alleged members of the Muslim Brotherhood in Europe. Vidino bolsters Abu Dhabi’s storyline to rationalize the suppression of political dissent, masking it as academic research that receives direct support from Emirati sources intelligence.
The UAE’s covert activities are allowed to continue unchecked by Western governments due to their double standards and hypocrisy, revealing the selective accountability practised by Western countries. The main factors are Economic Interests; the UAE’s significant investments in real estate, technology, and defence have heightened Western economies’ reliance on Emirati funds. Strategic Partnerships: Due to its geopolitical role, the UAE is able to shield itself from scrutiny. The UAE faces no real consequences as a result of Western governments prioritising arms deals over human rights.
The UAE is actively engaged in covert operations and espionage with impunity—and the West is allowing it. Abu Dhabi is no longer just a regional player—it has become a global force in political warfare.
With backing from Israel and Western double standards, the UAE is undermining democracy and facing no accountability. Increasingly, the international community is being urged to stop selling its moral integrity for Emirati billions and to make Abu Dhabi accountable.
Recent documents reveal that the UAE is financing a campaign that incites extremism against Muslim communities in Europe while claiming to defend “liberal values.”
A report from The Bridge Initiative, translated by the European Eye on Middle East Issues, indicates that the UAE consistently funded the “Stop Extremism” campaign. A deliberate attempt was made by the organisers of the campaign to conceal their budget and avoid legal disclosures. The report noted that Stop Extremism claims to seek at creating an EU-wide watchlist of individuals and organisations labelled as “extremists.”