Qatar sues foes on currency crisis

Doha: Qatar said on Monday it has filed three lawsuits in London and New York against Saudi and UAE banks for allegedly plotting to undermine its currency and bonds.

Doha, which has faced an economic and diplomatic boycott by Gulf rivals since June 2017, also filed legal action in London against the Luxemburg-based Banque Havilland.

"A lawsuit was filed against Banque Havilland in London for its role in designing a plan to attack Qatar´s currency and its financial markets," a statement said. "A separate lawsuit was filed in New York against two financial institutions that engaged in financial market manipulation, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Samba Bank," the statement said.

First Abu Dhabi Bank is the largest lender in the United Arab Emirates while Samba is one of the leading banks in Saudi Arabia. Both countries, along with Bahrain and Egypt, are involved in the boycott of Qatar, accusing it of backing radical Islamist groups and seeking closer ties with Iran, Saudi Arabia´s arch-rival.