‘OFW’ gets ten years in UAE for ISIS membership, social media activity

DUBAI —A Filipino has been sentenced to 10 years in jail in the United Arab Emirates for being a member of Islamic State and promoting its ideology on social media, Emirati media reported on Thursday.

State news agency WAM identified the defendant as a 35-year-old Asian man, who was also fined two million dirhams or US$544,543 by the Abu Dhabi Court of Appeal.

He will be deported after serving his sentence.

UAE newspapers The National and Gulf News said the man was a Filipino domestic worker.

The National quoted his lawyer as telling the court that the man lacked the technical skills to operate the supposed social media accounts.

Reuters could not immediately reach the Philippines Embassy or the lawyer for comment.

The U.S.-allied UAE last year passed a law to combat terrorism financing and in 2014 passed an anti-terrorism law. —Reuters