'India helped the UAE snatch Dubai princess'

Screenshot of whatsapp message from Herve to Radha Stirling CEO of Detained in Dubai talking about Indiarsquos roleHerve Jaubert the FrenchAmerican national who attempted to help a Dubai princess Sheikha Latifa escape years of abuse and whose story has sparked international attention was abducted along with everyone on board his yacht Nostromo in a joint military operation by the UAE and India he has said in a video Emirates officials cited Islamic law as the basis for the illegal raid on his boat says a news release put out by Detained in Dubai a Londonbased nonprofit formed to assist victims of injustice in the UAESheikha Latifa l and friend Tiina JauhiainenHerve had tried to help Latifa escape by agreeing to transport her and her friend to India on his US registered yacht Nostromo After a few days at sea Herves vessel which was close to Goa was attacked by UAE and India forces He his crew which comprised three Filipino nationals who are with him now Sheikha Latifa and Tiina Jauhiaien a Finnish national and Latifas best friend were abducted and taken to the UAEA video grab of Herve JaubertIslamic lawHerveacute was eventually released from custody UAE officials acknowledged that he had not committed any crime but that by helping in the escape of Latifa daughter of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum the ruler of Dubai and prime minister of the UAE he had violated their religious beliefsHerveacute who is currently on his way to Sri Lanka said They told me that although I did not break any laws in the water I broke Islamic law Under Islamic law women are in the custody of a father husband or brother So when I helped Latifa escape they viewed that as kidnapping her from her fatherNo ideaWhen this paper called the Indian coast guard for comment deputy commandant west and Public Relations Officer A Mitra said he was on leave but a representative maintained that they had no knowledge of any foreign boat on Indian waters on March 4 and denied any knowledge of the incident The Dubai government media office did not get back on requests to commentCoast Guard involvedHerve maintains that Nostromo was raided by the Indian Coast Guard on March 4 at the request of the UAE In a statement to Radha Stirling CEO and founder of Detained in Dubai Herve said We were attacked by Indian forces who boarded the yacht from Indian Coast guard boats They were about 12 armed men who thrashed us with guns and took everything from the boatTaken backHerve says UAE officers boarded the vessel immediately after The Indian Coast Guard refuelled the yacht and the journey began back to the Emirates We were taken to the UAE and sent to jail We were blindfolded and handcuffed I had no idea where they kept us Herve who had considered India a friendly country he had escaped himself from Dubai in 2008 in a sailboat reaching Mumbai shores a thrilling account of which was printed in this paper is shockedTaken back to the UAE and interrogated for two weeks eventually Tiina and Herve were forced to record confessions the content of which was provided entirely by the UAE authorities Tiina says We were told that if we did not do so we would never leave and faced the death penalty The documents were in Arabic I do not know what it saidKeep quietSoon after both Tiina and Herve were released but before Tiina was allowed to leave she says the authorities warned her to keep quiet They said Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid alMaktoum is one of the most powerful people in the world and he can kidnap you from anywhere Since I got home UAE secret service has phoned to remind me of the document I signed and have tried to get me to go back to Dubai Now home in Finland Tiina is still traumatised and worried about Latifa I believe Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid alMaktoum would think nothing of killing all of us However what happened to us has to be spoken aboutStirling who had been and still is in contact with Herveacute says The actions of the UAE and India against Nostromo its crew and passengers were belligerent and hostile well beyond the pale of the law Nostromo is a US registered vessel that falls under American jurisdiction We have submitted a formal complaint with the United Nations regarding the actions of UAE and IndiaWe will shoot you kill youTiina Jauhiainens who is a Brazilian martial arts instructor recounted what happened on the boat in a statement to Stirling from Finland On March 4 as night fell we were off the Goa coast when we were attacked by Indian secret service and military including the Indian Coast Guard Around 15 masked men came onboard with machine guns It was the most terrifying experience They shone laser lights on Latifa and me and kept telling me they would kill me I was thrown on the floor stood on and found myself next to a pool of blood At this point I thought they had killed Herveacute and I was next They held me over the edge of the boat threatening to shoot me Latifa was screaming that she was claiming political asylum They dragged her away as I heard her say I wont go back to the UAE just kill me now I havent seen my friend sinceAlso read Mystery Drama On The High Seas A Princess A Spy And An Escape Plan Gone WrongCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates