The mystery surrounding a missing Dubai princess has deepened after claims she was abducted by commandos 'enforcing Islamic law'.
Sheikah Latifa Mohammed Al Maktoum, 32, who says she one of the ruler of Dubai's 30 children, last had contact with her family on March 3.
An ex French spy has reportedly said he was threatened with execution for trying to help her escape to America and claim political asylum in a sea rescue.
Former counter intelligence officer Jean-Pierre Hervé Jaubert, 62, claimed he was blindfolded, beaten and interrogated for hours while being threatened with execution.
The former spy was reportedly told he'd broken Islamic Law as 'women are the custody of their dad, husband or brother'.
He claimed he was taken by soldiers acting on orders of the billionaire ruler of Dubai, Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
According to the Daily Mail , Jean-Pierre was held in a UAE prison with Princess Latifa's best friend and personal trainer Tiina Jauhiainen, 41, who was also part of the failed escape.
They say they went 20 hours without food and water before being released without charge.
He said: "From the moment we were captured, I was told I would be executed.
"They said I would never see my family again and I believed them, it was terrifying.
"I had already been beaten when they boarded my yacht."
The Princess reportedly got in touch with Jean-Pierre after reading about how he'd fled from Dubai in 2008 amid accusations of wearing a burka to try and trick immigration officials.
After he agreed to help, he went to the Oman coast at the end of February where he collected Princess Latifa and Finnish martial artist Tiina from a beach, and took them to his yacht.
The pair were reportedly paid £300,000 by the Princess for their help.
But after a week on the waters, Jean-Pierre says they were tracked and boarded by the Indian coastguard 50 miles from Goa.
He claimed he was beaten to the ground, kicked and punched, while a gun was held to his head.
Latifa was allegedly dragged off the boat screaming, and this was reportedly the last time Tiina and Jean-Pierre saw her.
The pair were taken back to Dubai on a warship, reports claim.
Jean-Pierre was then allowed back on his yacht and sailed to Sri Lanka while Tiina was relieved to be put on a flight to London, according to reports.
When the princess first fled Dubai, she released a chilling 40-minute video via a US law firm that railed against her dad's regime and said she had been held prisoner at home.
She says in the footage: "I am looking forward to a better life, a start of new chapter in my life. There is no reason to stay in Dubai and no reason to come back here."
She claimed she was not allowed to drive, was monitored round the clock and was locked up - and even drugged - after a failed attempt to escape the country when she was 16.
Campaign group Detained in Dubai is fighting to free the princess.