UAE Islamist group had no desire to topple government - families

DUBAI (Reuters) - With a small, wealthy local population, the United Arab Emirates seemed immune to both Islamist militancy and revolts of the Arab Spring. So when it said it had exposed a "secret organisation" plotting to depose the ruling sheikhs, astonishment reigned.

Many of the so-called UAE94 group belonged to al-Islah, an Islamist association suspected of ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, the movement which came to power in Egypt last year and advocates Islamic principles in everything from politics to education.