11 jailed for starting fire at police station

Eleven detainees received nine months in jai each by the Dubai Misdemeanour Court for endangering lives and assaulting officers during a fire to Al Qusais Police Station. Ten Emiratis and a stateless are aged between 19 and 39 years and identified as: KS, ME, FB, TK, HE, EA, BS, FA, SS, KA and AJ. They were sentenced to six months in prison each for endangering lives and three months for causing Dh201.699 in damage, threatening, insulting them and assaulting police officers. The convicts are facing arson accusation in a separate case before the Dubai Criminal Court. The detainees set fire to their sponge mattresses and the furniture items available at the centre's Ward B, according to the records. A captain testified that detainees in the ward tried to assault officers conducting an inspection. He said the officers used pepper spray to disperse the detainees. Twenty more officers were rushed to the station. The detainees prevented policemen from entering the ward. He testified that Civil Defence was called as smoke began pouring from the windows and the civil defence was called.