Neighboring United Arab Emirates, a regional energy, financial
and tourism hub that typically has had friendly relations with Oman, denied
having links to any such network.
A regional security analyst found the allegations puzzling
but suggested one possible motivation for such a network was that the UAE
wanted to know more about Oman's links with Iran.
"This is all very murky," Theodore Karasik,
director of research and development and research at the Dubai-based Institute
for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis, said.
"One possibility is that the UAE wants to know more
about Iran-Oman relations because of Tehran and Muscat's long ties in security
and military cooperation."
Oman's state news agency reported that its "security
services uncovered a spying network belonging to the state security apparatus
of the United Arab Emirates, targeting ... Oman and the way its government and
military work.”
It gave few details but an Omani government official,
speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said a
number of Omani nationals had been arrested, including some who worked for the
government.
The Omani official said the arrests dated back about two
months, but gave no other details. Oman's news agency ONA said the suspects
would be sent to court.
The UAE Foreign Ministry, in a statement carried by the
state news agency WAM, said: "The UAE expresses its full willingness to
cooperate with ... Oman in any investigations that it carries out in full
transparency to uncover (those) who try to mar the relations between the two
countries."
Oman maintains good relations with Iran and was instrumental
in helping to negotiate the release of one of three US hikers accused by Tehran
of straying from Iraq into Iranian territory.
