{UAH} EMIRATI DRESSED MAN MISTAKEN FOR ISIS TERRORIST BY OHIO POLICE

Emirates Advises Citizens Not To Wear Traditional Dress While Traveling

July 3, 2016·3:52 PM ET
Merrit Kennedy

.The government of the United Arab Emirates is advising its citizens
to avoid wearing the country's traditional dress while traveling
abroad.

It came after an Emirati man wearing the country's flowing white robe,
called a kandura, a headscarf and a headband was mistaken for a member
of ISIS while traveling in the United States. He was handcuffed by the
police and later hospitalized in Avon, Ohio, on Wednesday. The
incident was widely reported in Emirati media.

The tweet advises UAE citizens to avoid wearing Emirati national dress
while traveling abroad, and particularly in public places, "in order
to preserve their safety." It came from an official government Twitter
account used to provide advice to Emiratis traveling abroad.

A separate statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs "urged women
to abide by bans on face veils in parts of Europe," as Reuters
reported.
The statements do not explicitly link the new guidance to the Ohio incident.
Cleveland's WEWS reported that the incident began when "the sister of
a hotel clerk" at the Fairfield Inn & Suites dialed 911 from the hotel
lobby, claiming she heard businessman Ahmed al-Menhali "pledging his
allegiance to ISIS over the phone."

The news station released a body camera video from the Avon police
department showing what happened next. "There he is! On the ground, do
it now!" an officer yelled. The squad rushed towards Menhali, guns
pointed. "Grab his hands, cuff him up!"

One officer held Menhali's chest down with his knee as he lay on the
ground. Menhali was visibly confused and said, "What is this? I'm a
tourist and this is not good," as the police rifled through his
pockets. They tossed at least one of his cellphones into the bushes.

Police removed the handcuffs less than 10 minutes later. But shortly
after, Menhali collapsed on the ground and EMTs transported him to the
hospital in a stretcher.
Menhali had been recovering from a stroke in Ohio since April,
according to The National, a UAE news site. He said that he had
suffered a panic attack during his ordeal with the police.

"They were brutal with me," Menhali told The National. "They pressed
forcefully on my back. I had several injuries and bled from the
forceful nature of their arrest.
He had been trying to book a room at the hotel, the news site added.
"I always wear my traditional clothes during all my travels and never
encountered such a thing," Menhali said.

Avon's police chief and mayor have apologized to Menhali. "No one from
the police department wished to disrespect you, that was not the
intent of any of the actions of our officers," said Police Chief
Richard Bosley in video carried by WEWS. "It is a very regrettable
circumstance that occurred for you. You should not have been put in
that situation like you were."

The city is now reviewing its policies, WEWS reported. "The woman who
made the false claim could still face charges," it added.
The UAE summoned the U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Ethan Goldrich over
the incident, Emirati state news agency WAM reported.

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