BEIRUT, Lebanon: Hundreds of Lebanese Shiite Muslims expelled from the United Arab Emirates in recent months stepped up a campaign, accusing the Gulf state of illegal deportation for political reasons.

" The security services in the UAE summoned most of the deportees shortly before they were expelled and asked them to spy on fellow Lebanese in the emirates, as well as Hezbollah members. When we refused, we were deported," Hassan Alayan, a spokesman for the deportees said.

"We were simply deported for no reason," Alayan said. "We tried to resolve the issue with the UAE officials quietly, but no one was listening to us, so we decided to make it public."

According to unconfirmed reports, as many as 100,000 Lebanese, mainly Shiite Muslims, were deported on accusations that they were funding the Hezbollah movement.

Alayan stressed that there were no evidence that any of the deported were sending funds to Hezbollah.

Officials at the UAE embassy in Beirut refused to comment on Alayan's accusations.
Alayan said he and his follow deportees plan to take legal action against the authorities of the UAE.

According to Alayan most of the deported were businessman and doctors.

"This is an inhuman, illegal, uncivilized action from an Arab country against other Arab citizens," said Ali Faour, a physician who was also deported.

Faour said some of the children of the families who were deported were born and raised in the UAE.