Special to WorldTribune.com

ABU DHABI — The United Arab Emirates has banned scores of insurgency groups, many of them affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood or Hizbullah.

The exception was the Palestinian movement Hamas, deemed a branch of the Egyptian-based Brotherhood.

The UAE also banned a leading Islamist lobbyist in the United States. The lobbyist was identified as the Council on American. Islamic Relations, deemed close to the administration of President Barack Obama and named in a federal indictment a decade ago.

“The UAE Cabinet has endorsed a list of terrorist organizations in line with the Federal Law No.7 for 2014 on combating terrorist crimes,” a UAE government said.

In a statement on Nov. 15, the government said the list was issued by President Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Aug. 20. Under UAE law, these organizations could not operate in or receive funds from the emirates.

The list, which follows one issued by Saudi Arabia in March 2014, contains 86 organizations and cells, many of them linked to the Brotherhood. They included the Brotherhood in the UAE as well as what was termed the “Muslim Brotherhood Organization and group.”

The Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah also appeared on the UAE list. They included “Saudi Hizbullah,” “Hizbullah in GCC countries,” and “Hizbullah Brigades in Iraq.” Hizbullah headquarters in Lebanon was not cited.

The UAE also designated Al Qaida and its affiliates in Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Russia and Syria. “Army of Islam in Palestine,” based in the Gaza Strip, was also cited.

The list was released after pressure from the United States and other NATO allies for a UAE crackdown on funding to groups deemed terrorist. Washington has imposed sanctions on suspected fundraisers for Islamic State of Iraq and Levant located in the emirates.

“The release of the names of terrorist organizations also comes as per the Cabinet resolution on the terrorist lists which provides for the publishing of such lists in different media outlets to ensure transparency and raise awareness about these organizations among all members of the society,” the UAE statement said.

  86 insurgency groups with ties to Brotherhood, UAE bans Obama-aligned CAIR, WorldTribune.com