An ITV News investigation reported that UAE-funded mercenary Abraham Golan ran a covert surveillance operation against British academic and activist Anas Altikriti in London in 2016. Golan, a dual Hungarian-Israeli former French Foreign Legion soldier who led Spear Operations Group, was reportedly paid millions of dollars by the UAE following his earlier work on a UAE-linked assassination program in Yemen.
According to the investigation, Golan surveilled Altikriti’s home, workplace, and daily routines in December 2016, sharing maps and reconnaissance notes with associates. A consultant involved in the scheme stated that one of Golan’s associates made a throat-cutting gesture when discussing Altikriti, suggesting potential assassination intent. Altikriti leads the Cordoba Foundation, which the UAE designated a terrorist group in 2014 over alleged links to the Muslim Brotherhood.
The story was subsequently shared on X by Drop Site News and picked up by other outlets including Middle East Eye. There has been no public UAE government response to the allegations noted in the reporting.