There are 25,000 security cameras in the bustling emirate of Dubai.This number will be increased to keep up with the city’s fast expansion as the police force starts installing a new type of smart cameras that can rotate to cover what were once “dead spots”.
“We need to work according to a well-studied strategic plan and not only react to events as they come along...We will have cameras everywhere,” Lieutenant GeneralDahi Khalfan Tamim, the Chief of Dubai Police, told The National on June 19, 2010.
“We are working on the security for each and every aspect of Dubai, whether it’s an environment security, commercial or tourism security,” Lt Gen Tamim said.
Significant Role of Security Technology
The importance of security technology was underlined in the high-profile investigation into the murder of senior Hamas commander Mahmoud al Mabhouh in a Dubai’s hotel room on January 19, 2010 in an assassination blamed on Israel's Mossad spy agency.
Since al Mabhouh’s assassination, authorities in Dubai have played a significant role in gathering strong evidence against the suspects thanks to the surveillance cameras. Dubai Police compiled 1,700 hours of CCTV footage of al Mabhouh as well as the suspects.
“With the al Mabhouh murder we were able to play back time through the footage captured by cameras, and after going through 1,700 hours of CCTV footage we were able to pull the strings together and identify the suspects,” Lt Gen Tamim said.
Shortly after the investigation, Dubai Police started to point fingers at Israel’s Mossad before eventually confirming that it was behind the operation.
Dubai Police Praised by International Community
Dubai police gained international kudos and praise for quickly providing CCTV footage, flight information, immigration data as well as credit-card and phone data of the growing list of suspects in the murder case.
The Wall Street Journal quoted Interpol Secretary-General Ronald K. Noble on May 5, 2010 as saying, “That's what is most extraordinary, the depth, thoroughness and openness of the Dubai police's investigation of an assassination that took months to plan, but only hours to execute."
International Rage over the Assassination Case
The assassination case sparked international furore after Dubai’s release of information about the suspects’ use of fake passports. According to the Wall Street Journal on May 24, 2010, the wanted list has so far reached 33 suspects – who used forged or fraudulently issued British, Irish, Australian, French and German passports.
Britain, Australia and Ireland have expelled Israeli diplomats over the use of fake passports from their countries in the assassination.
The first person in connection with al Mabhouh’s assassination was arrested on June 4 by Polish police, acting on a request from Germany.
Despite the fact that almost all the suspects have not yet been arrested, the investigation process has reached outstanding results taking in mind the complexity of the assassination plot. The pictures and names of the suspects are currently available all around border posts across the world and the suspects are actively pursued by the Interpol.
The use of advanced security technology has become extremely important nowadays. It plays a vital role in identifying the perpetrators in the most complicated incidents as well as protecting the countries from terrorist or violent acts.
Amira Abozeid - Amira Abozeid is a freelance writer and translator based in the UK. She has a BA in Political Science and MBA in Marketing.
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