DUBAI: An Estonian soldier who served as peacekeeper in Afghanistan has been detained in the United Arab Emirates for an alleged sexual assault against a policewoman, a newspaper reported Sunday.
The Egyptian policewoman, who works at the airport of the emirate of Sharjah, alleged that Andrie Carol tried to rape her as she slept in the ladies staff room during a break, the English-language Khaleej Times said.
The newspaper quoted the soldier as saying from his prison cell that he had been very tired and had drunk excessively when the purported incident occurred during a recent stopover at Sharjah airport on his way home from Afghanistan.
The only thing I can remember is that I wanted to go to the men s toilet and I asked somebody who pointed to the room and I just went in. I did not have any intention of raping or touching any woman, Carol said.
I m not a bad guy. It is only my bad luck that landed me in trouble. I didn t know that alcohol consumption is forbidden during the transit hours at the airport, he said.
A Sharjah police official was quoted as accusing the soldier of failing to respect the culture and religion of the UAE, a Muslim country.
The first hearing in the case was held on Saturday at a Sharjah court, during which the policewoman reportedly said she was not sure of Carol s identity as she had just run away when the alleged harassment occurred. Sharjah is a conservative member of the seven-strong UAE federation and bans alcohol. AFP
