Three inmates threaten to set jail cell on fire

Prosecutors at the Dubai Court of First Instance have on Monday brought charges against two Emirati nationals and their accomplice, who has no identification papers, for threatening to set ablaze the Dubai Ports Police detention chamber. The Ports Prison inmates, HI, 38 and IQ, 19, who are jobless Emiratis, and a 37-year-old student, NA, reportedly signed a petition, threatening to burn down the detention chamber unless they were transferred to another police detention cell. The trio allegedly issued a written warning and passed it to one of the officers, demanding him to submit it to the police station’s director. Their action followed a similar threat that had earlier been issued by fellow inmates to officers at the station. Warrant Officer Yahya Umar of Dubai Port’s Police Station had said before the public prosecution that he found a written application in his office in which the three suspects demanded to be transferred to another detention cell. He noted that in the note the suspect said that if he didn’t meet their demands, they would “set fire to their chamber.” On July 16, 2010, inmates at the same station had set fire to their jail cells after lighting their mattresses and blankets using matches, leaving one prisoner dead. In the aftermath of the fire, about 300 prison inmates were transferred to the Dubai Central Jail in Al Aweer. Both HI and IQ failed to show up at the proceedings on Sunday, while NA denied the allegations. The case has been deferred to Dec.1.