In October 2018, the United Arab Emirates initiated a covert operation known as “Constellation,” seeking to map and counter the alleged network of the Muslim Brotherhood in Europe. To achieve their goal, the UAE enlisted the services of Alp Services, a Swiss private investigation agency. This offensive and effective plan aimed to identify and defame European politicians and officials who were labeled as supporters of Qatar. The scandal that unfolded, known as the Qatargate, involved corruption among European institutions and espionage conducted on EU soil.
The Beginnings of the “Constellation” Plan:
Under the codename “Constellation,” the UAE engaged private investigator Mario Brero from Alp Services to identify the lobbyists used by Qatar within the EU buildings. Documents obtained by Mediapart, Domani, and the EIC consortium revealed that Alp Services provided the UAE with a list of dozens of European politicians and officials, divided into “traditional” and “dark” lobbyists, all labeled as Qatar supporters.
ALP Services and Strong Ties with the UAE:
By October 2018, Alp Services had established strong ties with the UAE, with agent Matar and Sheikh Ali Saeed al-Neyadi, the national security adviser. The relationship between the UAE and Alp Services grew, with the agency earning over a million euros from previous projects related to the Muslim Brotherhood. This led to the development of a new plan to counter Qatar in March 2019.
Identifying Targets for Defamation:
As part of the “Costellazione” plan, Alp Services indicated almost 70 potential targets to be discredited to counter Qatar’s influence. Among these targets were prominent European politicians, including MPs Marc Tarabella (Belgium) and Eva Kaili (Greece), who were later accused by Belgian prosecutors in the Qatargate scandal. Additionally, former Italian MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, allegedly the mastermind behind the corruption pact, was also listed.
The Connection with Qatargate Suspects:
In a twist of fate, Alp Services unwittingly cataloged the individuals who would later become central figures in the Qatargate scandal. Panzeri’s involvement in the scandal allegedly emerged during his trip to Doha in 2018, where he was accused of making a corruption pact with Ali Bin Samikh Al-Marri. This connection ultimately led to Panzeri’s arrest after the discovery of a substantial amount of cash in his Brussels home.
European Politicians Accused by ALP Services:
According to Alp Services, many of the European politicians accused of serving Qatar’s interests were from the center-left political spectrum. Notably, Joaquin Almunia, the former vice president of the European Commission, and Federica Mogherini, the former High Representative for European foreign policy, were listed as individuals who seemed to have been subjected to pressure by the EU-Qatar friendship group.
Dark Lobbying and the Role of Daniele Capezzone:
Alp Services highlighted “dark lobbying,” a covert communication campaign allegedly orchestrated by Qatar through the Middle East Dialogue Center. Among those mentioned as a key agent was Daniele Capezzone, a former deputy of Raffaele Fitto’s Italy Direction party. Capezzone was described as a mercenary lobbyist skilled in leveraging his connections in Italian politics and business.
Niccolò Figà-Talamanca, the secretary of the NGO “No Peace Without Justice,” also drew ALP Services’ attention. Although no direct connections were highlighted between Figà-Talamanca and Qatargate suspects, he was filed due to his association with Marco Perduca and his publication of an article denouncing the lack of human rights respect in the UAE.
The “Constellation” plan devised by Alp Services on behalf of the UAE shed light on the tangled web of interests, espionage, and counterespionage between the UAE and Qatar fought on European soil. While the scandalous Qatargate investigation unfolded, the role of Alp Services and the UAE in identifying and defaming Qatar’s alleged supporters came to the forefront. The repercussions of this elaborate scheme continue to reverberate throughout European politics, with key figures facing charges of corruption and conspiracy.
