Qatar signs security agreement with the UK

03 November 2014

Deal will see increased cooperation between the countries’ intelligence agencies

Qatar has signed a security deal with the UK, agreeing to share intelligence and increase cooperation between the two countries’ intelligence agencies.

The deal focuses on preventing attacks from Islamic militants and combating cyber warfare.

It comes after Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani met with Prime Minister David Cameron in London last week.

Talks on increased security cooperation have been ongoing since March.

Supporters of the deal say Qatar’s ties with Islamist militant groups in both Iraq and Syria make it a useful ally for the UK as it attempts to prevent terror attacks.

Critics of the agreement have voiced concerns that Qatar is too close to groups like the Al-Nusra Front, a branch of al-Qaeda that operates in Syria, and it should not be a trusted partner.

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