Dubai police official backs Trump travel restrictions

Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Dubai’s deputy chief of police and public security has backed President Donald Trump’s suspension of citizens from seven Muslim countries from entering the US.

In a tweet published on January 29 Kamim said: “Kudos to President Trump for his brave decisions… they can only be dealt with through preventive measures,” according to a Zawya translation.

تحية للرئيس ترمب على قراراته الشجاعة…ما لهم إلا الإجراءات الرادعة.

— ضاحي خلفان تميم (@Dhahi_Khalfan) January 29, 2017

Trump enacted the executive order banning the entry of travellers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for at least 90 days on Friday January 27.

“It is not necessary for America to host backward people, it has received enough before,” Tamim went on to say. “What would a Yemini, Iraqi, Iranian, Somali or a Syrian do in America? They have destroyed their countries, they should not destroy America.”

His comments are in contrast to sharp condemnation of the move by some world leaders and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, which said this week the suspension would “embolden the radical narratives of extremists”.

Read: OIC says Trump US entry ban will embolden extremists

On Monday, Iraq called for the US to reconsider the travel ban on its citizens after the country’s parliament demanded the government introduce a retaliatory ban on US travellers.

Neighbouring Iran has banned US citizens who have not already obtained a visa from entering the country.

Tamim has become known for his controversial comments and has built a following of 1.58 million on Twitter.

Last year he warned of a clash of civilisations if Trump won the US elections.

Read: Senior Dubai police official warns of ‘clash of civilizations’ if Trump wins