News agencies in the oil-rich emirate reported that the contract involves city-wide installation of a network of surveillance towers equipped with cameras and connected to a central communication system. The system is intended to protect oil facilities.
The system, which will modernize and expand the existing network, was ordered from the American ICx Technologies. Work is scheduled to begin in April and last for eight months, the National Newspaper reported, quoting the director of operations at the Critical National Infrastructure Authority (CNIA), Ishaq al-Bashir.
In addition, said Mr. Bashir, a system of thermal cameras will be installed along the coast of Abu Dhabi to help authorities to "identify a threat before it happens."
The heat-sensitive monitors, which cost around $1.2 million, will track the movement of vessels up to 15 km offshore, according to the National.
Dubai succeeded in tracking the movements of what it claims are 27 Mossad agents who allegedly came to the emirate in order to assassinate Mabhouh, who was found dead on January 20 in his hotel room.
Dubai police chief Dhahi Khalfan Tamim was quoted Wednesday by the pan-Arab daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat as saying, "We have 648 hours of video films in which the 27 suspects appear." He added that their disguises were "naïve" and "archaic".
"If the Mossad wants to learn how to dress, we can send them a police trainer from Dubai to teach them the best technology," he joked.