A team of Western military veterans working for the United Arab Emirates carried out a covert surveillance operation against a prominent British Muslim political campaigner on UK soil, according to a major investigation by ITV News.
The investigation, based on confidential Emirati records, witness testimony, emails and WhatsApp messages, reveals that Abraham Golan — an Israeli-Hungarian former French Foreign Legion soldier — travelled to London in December 2016 while being paid by the UAE.
Golan had previously headed Spear Operations Group, a private security company hired by Abu Dhabi to conduct operations in Yemen against figures the UAE regarded as terrorists or political threats, including people accused of links to the Muslim Brotherhood.
ITV News found that his London target was Anas Altikriti, chief executive of the Cordoba Foundation, a British think-tank that the UAE had controversially designated a terrorist organisation in 2014.
The UAE has long viewed the Muslim Brotherhood as a major ideological and political threat and has sought to suppress organisations and individuals it associates with the movement across the Middle East and beyond.
Altikriti and the Cordoba Foundation have consistently denied any formal affiliation with the Brotherhood.
Surveillance on British soil
According to ITV News, Golan arrived in London after weeks of planning and met a UK-based consultant, referred to by the broadcaster as “Victor”, whom he attempted to recruit into the operation.
Golan allegedly told him that the UAE regarded Altikriti and Cordoba as linked to extremist groups and that an Emirati-backed surveillance programme was being established in London.
Messages reviewed by ITV News show Golan seeking Altikriti’s home and office addresses, mosque attendance and movements, while surveillance material contained photographs of his home and car, satellite imagery and details of routes he was likely to take between home and work.
One image was reportedly labelled: “Target’s house and car.”
Golan initially offered Victor £50,000 for his assistance, later increasing the proposed payment to £100,000, with the money allegedly intended to pass through an offshore account and third party.
He also attempted to arrange a meeting with Altikriti by having Victor pose as an author researching the Muslim Brotherhood.
But Victor told ITV News that he became increasingly alarmed by what the operation might involve.
During one meeting, a former US Navy SEAL working alongside Golan allegedly made a throat-cutting gesture while discussing what could happen to Altikriti.
Victor interpreted this as suggesting that the mission could escalate from surveillance to assassination.
He eventually withdrew from the operation.
Millions paid by UAE
The investigation found that Golan remained on the UAE payroll during the London mission.
Confidential Emirati financial records reportedly show that he received a six-figure retainer for his work that year, alongside substantial bonuses.
Only weeks before arriving in Britain, Golan had reportedly received a $1 million bonus connected to an operation against a previous target in Yemen.
Golan had earlier acknowledged running a UAE-backed targeted assassination programme there.
“There was a targeted assassination program in Yemen,” he previously told BuzzFeed News. “I was running it. We did it. It was sanctioned by the UAE within the coalition.”
Former US Special Forces soldier Dale Comstock, who worked with Golan in Yemen, separately told ITV News: “For all intents and purposes, we were Emirati soldiers.”
Among the programme’s targets was Yemeni MP Anssaf Ali Mayo, whose office was attacked with explosives. Mayo survived and later brought a civil lawsuit in the US.
Police warning
It remains unclear how far the London operation ultimately progressed.
Altikriti was subsequently visited by British police and warned that they had information suggesting his life could be at risk.
He told ITV News officers referred to an “Osman notice” — a warning issued when authorities believe there may be a credible threat to someone’s life — but did not reveal the source or nature of the threat.
Altikriti said learning of the surveillance years later left him “physically sick”, particularly after seeing photographs of the home where he lived with his young children.
The evidence uncovered by ITV News does not establish whether senior Emirati officials personally conceived or directly ordered the London operation.
However, it shows that Golan was being paid by the UAE at the time, described himself as working for Abu Dhabi and communicated as though the operation was being conducted under wider direction.
The revelations raise serious questions over whether a close British ally financed a hostile intelligence-style operation against a UK citizen on British soil because of its own political campaign against the Muslim Brotherhood.
Golan declined to provide ITV News with a substantive response. His former US Navy SEAL associate also did not respond.
The UAE embassies in Britain and the US did not respond to ITV News’ findings, while the UK Home Office said it does not comment on security and intelligence matters.
This report is based on an exclusive investigation first published by ITV News.
