ABU DHABI // A man who illegally imported military equipment did not intend to harm the country, his lawyer said in the Federal Supreme Court on Monday.
M K S, 46, an Arab, was accused of importing electronic devices used in the military without abiding by the UAE’s rules, and of using forged documents to claim that two government entities required the items.
Last week, the defendant confessed to the forgery, saying he was “only experimenting” and did not need to use them. He denied the other allegations.
During his defence argument his lawyer, Yousef Al Ali, said the defendant did not forge the documents.
Mr Al Ali said another unknown person had created them for him.
“The defendant also had no need for them. Drawings and graphics found on his laptop doesn’t mean anything in this case,” he said.
Mr Al Ali said the first shipment of the equipment never reached the defendant’s hometown, which was the intended destination, while the second passed through several customs areas and was never questioned.
His nationality cannot be disclosed as per orders of the judge, to protect M K S and his family.
“He imported the equipment as a dual-use device and they are not necessarily used for military purposes. During the second shipment from China, the equipment passed through six different customs areas and if there was an issue they would not have been sent through,” Mr Al Ali said.
He requested his client’s acquittal, saying his actions did not harm the country in any way.
M K S requested mercy from the court, and asked not to be deported if he was convicted.
The verdict will be announced on May 25.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
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Director: Rohit Shetty
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Basquiat in Abu Dhabi
One of Basquiat’s paintings, the vibrant Cabra (1981–82), now hangs in Louvre Abu Dhabi temporarily, on loan from the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
The latter museum is not open physically, but has assembled a collection and puts together a series of events called Talking Art, such as this discussion, moderated by writer Chaedria LaBouvier.
It's something of a Basquiat season in Abu Dhabi at the moment. Last week, The Radiant Child, a documentary on Basquiat was shown at Manarat Al Saadiyat, and tonight (April 18) the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is throwing the re-creation of a party tonight, of the legendary Canal Zone party thrown in 1979, which epitomised the collaborative scene of the time. It was at Canal Zone that Basquiat met prominent members of the art world and moved from unknown graffiti artist into someone in the spotlight.
“We’ve invited local resident arists, we’ll have spray cans at the ready,” says curator Maisa Al Qassemi of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's Canal Zone Remix is at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Thursday April 18, from 8pm. Free entry to all. Basquiat's Cabra is on view at Louvre Abu Dhabi until October