UAE allegedly hired mercenary to target British activist Anas al-Takriti
ITV News investigation reveals UAE contracted a former French Foreign Legion fighter to surveil and potentially assassinate British activist Anas al-Takriti in London.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
An ITV News investigation has revealed allegations that the United Arab Emirates contracted a former French Foreign Legion fighter to surveil and potentially assassinate a British activist in London. The activist, Anas al-Takriti, is the chief executive of the Cordoba Foundation, a think tank. The mercenary, Abraham Golan, had previously been hired by the UAE for counter-terrorism work in Yemen. According to the investigation, Golan was later tasked with gathering intelligence on al-Takriti, including his home, office, and mosque addresses, with a $100,000 fee offered. Messages show Golan sent images of al-Takriti's home and maps of his likely routes. A former US Navy Seal working with Golan allegedly made a throat-slitting gesture when asked what would happen to al-Takriti. Al-Takriti told ITV that he felt physically sick when shown the evidence. He later received a police warning that there was a threat to his life, though no details were given. The UAE has not responded to the allegations, and Golan said he had nothing to add. The investigation raises questions about the UK's close relationship with the UAE, which has invested heavily in British businesses. British officials have previously rejected the UAE's designation of the Cordoba Foundation as a terrorist entity.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | ITV | Sky News |
|---|---|---|
| Golan offered $100,000 for a brief on al-Triti's movements and addresses. | · | |
| Police later told al-Triti there was a threat to his life. | · | |
| The UAE hired Abraham Golan to conduct surveillance on Anas al-Triti in London. | · | |
| Yale researcher Nathaniel Raymond reported signal intelligence evidence of UAE involvement in the Sudan war. | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
Sky News did not cover the al-Takriti story. Instead, it focused on separate allegations that the UAE is supporting the RSF paramilitary group in Sudan, and criticised the UK government for prioritising its relationship with the UAE over preventing mass atrocities. The tone was critical of both the UAE's denials and the UK's inaction.
- “the allegation is UAE is supporting the RSF which is the one of the paramilitary groups involved in this war that is involved with genocidal massacres”
- “both to the UAE stop denying this it's not convincing anybody but also to Britain stop being disingenuous”
- “the allegation is it's all about UK PLC”
ITV1 delivered a detailed investigative report, focusing on the human impact on Anas al-Takriti and the implications for UK-UAE relations. It presented evidence including messages, images, and witness testimony, and highlighted the UAE's silence and the potential breach of sovereignty.
- “The United Arab Emirates was part of the coalition fighting an insurgency in Yemen. And it hired Golan to do what it called counter-terrorism work there.”
- “The final nail in the coffin was when he said to me, what would happen if Al-Takriti was, and then made a slicing motion across his neck, which suggested that the possible objective of that operation was to assassinate Al-Takriti.”
- “Successive UK governments have sought to build relations with the UAE, but British officials may consider the operation 10 years ago to have been a breach of sovereignty and trust.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.