Qatar pares support for Islamists but careful to preserve ties

[Valin]

Reuters:

Amena Bakr

DOHA Sun Nov 2, 2014

 

(Reuters) - Qatar has joined the American-led coalition to fight Islamic State, yet the emirate is a haven for anti-Western groups and foreign diplomats have reported seeing cars with Islamic State logos in an affluent bay district.

 

Such ambiguity runs through Qatari policy.

 

When the United States sought allies against Islamic State in Sept, Qatar was among the Gulf Arab states that sent its warplanes into action. But while Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates welcomed media coverage, Qatar was silent.

 

(Snip)

 

SUSPICION

The breadth and resilience of Qatar’s links to Islamist groups fuels suspicions in many other Gulf states.

 

Three of them - the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain - withdrew ambassadors from Qatar earlier this year in protest at what they saw as Doha’s interference in their internal affairs.

 

That allegation – denied by Qatar – centres on Doha’s backing for Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood and sister organisations that oppose the absolute rule of the Gulf’s hereditary rulers.

 

(Snip)