Alec Hogg finds evidence after checking the Sheikh's Twitter stream.

JOHANNESBURG - The man behind Wednesday evening's news that shocked financial markets, Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed, spent much of the three previous days in London engaging with Britain's most senior politicians.

The Sheikh's publicly accessible Twitter stream (http://bit.ly/ADKgC) through which he streams regular 140 character messages to over 180 000 subscribers, details his movements ahead of a statement which created havoc in global investment markets. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, to give him his full name, is a hands-on autocrat often described as the CEO of "Dubai Limited".

On the fateful Wednesday, the Sheikh visited the headquarters of the Conservative Party, overwhelming favourite to win the next British Parliamentary election. He and likely future UK Prime Minister David Cameron "exchanged views on the future direction of our countries' relationship........ also discussed a number of other issues concerning the scale of investment, as well as economic & technical co-operation between our nations".

Sheikh Mohammed "tweets" that he met later in the day with the chairman of the Arab British Chamber of Commerce before visiting the British Museum where he "enjoyed looking at the rare Islamic artifacts." There is, however, no mention on that day's Twitter stream about Dubai's shock announcement of its debt standstill, described by bankers like "tossing a grenade into world financial markets".

On Monday, Sheikh Mohammed wrote about his meeting with UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Foreign Secretary David Miliband commenting that "it's been a good day". Tuesday confirmed the status of this official visit of one national leader to another nation through his meeting with Queen Elizabeth II.

The most recent update from the Sheikh was posted on Thursday, when he would have been aware of the impact of a decision only he could have made. No reference is made to turbulence in financial markets. Instead, it's a message to fellow followers of his faith which reads: "I would like to congratulate all UAE citizens and Muslims around the world on the advent of Eid Al Adha."

Given the attention he has given personally in attempting to find a solution to Dubai's $80bn debt problem, it's inconceivable that the Sheikh did not inform his hosts in London of what was coming. And equally unlikely that they did not endorse a strategy which must have been carefully considered as the best option. Even though, for now, it seems to have confused most participants in the financial markets.

Write to Alec Hogg: alec@moneyweb.co.za or follow him on www.twitter.com/alechogg. Alec Hogg is Moneyweb's founder and editor in chief. You can hear him every weeknight on SAfm's Market Update with Moneyweb just after 6pm.

For more on the unfolding Dubai crisis read:

·  Unwelcome black swan waddles in the desert

·  Dubai debt delays revive fear of financial crisis
·  Dubai struggles to ease debt default fears

·  Is the sun setting on vaunted Dubai model?
· Murray & Roberts pursues Dubai debt

·  Dubai owner of V&A in debt standstill
· Oil falls to $76 amid Dubai debt jitters
·  What happens to Spur's Dubai's operation?

COMMENTS

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responses to this article

A Shocking Disgrace - the whole market is asking where is the next "curve ball" coming from...Qatar? by AA on November 27 2009, 13:58 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

do you try to have a misleading headline of the day? ...beacuse if you do, you're getting better at it starts "knew" "evidence" ends "inconceivable" "unlikely" by phill on November 27 2009, 14:09 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

rename dubai fong kong ltd by ttt on November 27 2009, 14:24 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Tweets Are for twits, not serious people by Tom Foolery on November 27 2009, 14:26 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

What a twit to use Twitter silly man by Dave on November 27 2009, 14:30 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

You knew it was coming I have often heard tales from visitors to Dubai and of its amazing "booming" economy,but always had some doubts. Now they are apparent,and as usual its the first ones who got in and out who made money on the back of Dubai, the rest will . .more suffer. The old adage" when it looks to good to be true" it usually is and this is another good example. The other oil nations wont be as affected financially,but the doubts will have an impact on the business confidence of smaller investors. This by no means the last of the shocks,the toll will continue for some time yet before reality returns. . .less by charley on November 27 2009, 14:45 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Twitter The collective noun for people who post messages on Twitter, and those who subscribe to recive them , should be TWATS by Oracle of Delmas on November 27 2009, 14:47 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Ag bly stil jou D*** And the collective noun for dorks from Delmas who call themselves oracles is mamparas. by Hannes on November 27 2009, 14:59 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Alec the IDIOT Alec, your such a Julian Askinesk ERA out of touch oke, you could have spoken to any labourer from bangladesh in Dubai yesturday and got the same story. IDIOT article anywhere else on the planet. take your shares and eef of to . .more zulu land . .less by James I on November 27 2009, 15:23 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Bahahaha set the FSB on him Bahaha by The Joker on November 27 2009, 15:27 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@Hannes Ons Boere moet saamstaan Hannes. by Oracle of Delams on November 27 2009, 15:34 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

GRF/MUR-shorts versus GRF/MUR-longs :) Alec, did you short MUR/GRF and now using your influence to get the price down? I guess if you have the power you may use it, but be careful, man, lots of people have hefty longs on those shares. by MUR Investor on November 27 2009, 15:41 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Storm in a teacup I guess he did discuss the issue with the UK. So what? Thumbs up for transparancy. Throwing a granade in the financial markets? More like a cracker. Not really what I would call investigative journalism. by Yawn on November 27 2009, 16:01 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@Phill I agree with you... this is extraordinary "journalism"!! Can't believe you're the only person to comment so far... the headline belongs to a different story...??? by Observer on November 27 2009, 16:03 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

this article is a waste of broadbrand. you are more talented than this Alec. by on November 27 2009, 16:10 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

tweet-based C*** This piece really sucks. You can do better than this by Andy on November 27 2009, 17:02 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Dubai or not? Can you trust these guys? by R Mugaybee on November 27 2009, 17:33 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

David Cameron Yeah it was DC who said '' too many twitters makes a twat'' And then the chattering classes almost spilled there tea... by Renoster die Grootte on November 27 2009, 18:10 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Alec Alec you a star man,these guys need your help man cheers by Hilton Haley on November 27 2009, 19:38 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Alec Hogg you are such a foolish little wannabe I mean really.?Where is the evidence? How the hell do you find time to play with twitter? the dune baboon obviously is the kind of fool who plays on twitter and defaults on his debt. look at your company performance fool. look at dubai's problems . .more and you fools are playing with twitter. get back to work fool. You are both half dooses, a full D*** has a use but you are good for nothing . .less by Kirk on November 27 2009, 21:33 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Alec, why do you discredit Moneyweb like this? We could possibly explain the misleading headline as the work of a bored, lazy and incompetent sub-editor who was itching to get to the bar on a Friday afternoon. But Alec, your entire article is a fanciful non-story trying to add a salacious twist . .more to an important news event. You present no evidence that the good sheikh did in fact tell his UK hosts of the impending debt standstill (despite the headline) and instead try to cast a collection of unrelated and meaningless tweets as proof of something. And so what if he did tell them - you don't reveal any consequence of this. Were you so stumped for anything to say about the Dubai debt debacle? And did you pull rank to get it to the top of Moneyweb's lead stories. So lazy. . .less by James on November 27 2009, 22:19 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Most misleading headline ever Moneyweb, you are abusing headlines in order to get traffic to your articles. Remember the story about the boy who cried wolf. Everyone stopped listening. by Marc on November 28 2009, 06:19 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

ALEC RAISE YOUR GAME! I cannot believe the amount of misleading articles and rubbish headlines I have read on this site lately. And now Alec you are starting this nonsense. Alec raise your game or I am outta here.... by Player on November 28 2009, 08:40 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

WHY THE SURPRISE?? The Dubai Ponzi is old news to anybody who reads good journalism - I wrote on this website in July "The BIG Ponzi's coming!! There are at least 2 big Ponzi's still to come : Dubai & China. Disbelieve it at at your peril! Ask your . .more Bank how committed they are to either situation. Guarantee stony silence. I mean, really; Dubai & particularly its property entities owe tens of Billions of $'s much falling due at end '09. Only Abu Dhabi can save them & they have indicated "No Way Jose" after already giving them $8.5 Big Ones. Property development has come to an end. Expats, SA & others leaving the land in droves - by law you have 30 days to get out of the big DUD when you lose your job. Why do you think so many Saffers are coming home? Because they want to?" And yet one of your prize female "journalists" wrote of Dubai in glowing terms only 2-3 months ago!? The Chinese Banking collapse is just around the corner . .less by CICERO on November 28 2009, 09:35 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Alec Jy het nou regtig jou naam gaaaaaat gemaak!!!!! by @Boston on November 29 2009, 12:32 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Something like this had to happen, for .... one can never trust an arab! If you put your trust in an arab, you do so at your own peril!!!! by Compadre on November 29 2009, 22:38 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

So much hostility I wonder why some readers cannot be selective - read it or skip it, make your mind up and pass on. Why all the attacks on MW and AH - one thing is certain, they did not cause the implosion by Wow on November 30 2009, 08:28 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Twitter... I got never get back the 5 mins I wasted on this artcle... Now I know why u sold your shares...nice move.... with this calibre of articles (along with cry baby Dave over sunday times)... I would also sell. Im outa here... by alec_wack on November 30 2009, 09:08 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@Wow The comments here relating to the contents of this article are not attacks on MW or AH. They are comments on the fact that the headline is misleading. It states that AH has found EVIDENCE that the UK knew about the announcement beforehand. But if . .more you read the article, there is NO EVIDENCE presented, merely SPECULATION on the part of AH. And that is why this article cannot be called journalism, it belongs in a tabloid. I for one honestly feel like reporting MW to some organisation that can prevent this type of blatant sensationalism, which deserves a massive fine. Does anyone know which is the appropriate organisation to file my complaint? . .less by Sandy on November 30 2009, 10:05 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@Sandy Best option is vote with your feet. There's no point to a website like this one if you don't trust the journalist has at least made some attempt to report with accuracy and balance. Here that clearly didn't happen by Andy on November 30 2009, 10:47 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

telling the news man how to be a news man hope alec reads some of these forum answers, it is very much a charachteristic of south african media - no evidence, just wild accusations. i guess you need to distinguish between reporting the news and giving your opinion. news was - sheik visits . .more all major u.k. political heads on eve on annoucement of debt problems. alec finds evidence that the UK knew, i bet every news outlet in dubain and uk reported the fact that the sheik was visiting the uk. . .less by news reporting in sa. on December 01 2009, 08:08 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

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