Bahrain Mirror- Reuters: A request by the United Arab Emirates central bank for local banks and finance companies to provide details of the accounts of 19 Saudi Arabian citizens was just an information-gathering exercise, the central bank governor told reporters on Wednesday.

The request earlier this month followed a sweeping corruption investigation in Saudi Arabia that involved the detention of dozens of businessmen and officials.

Asked about the request, Mubarak Rashed al-Mansouri said it was "just information-gathering, nothing more". Commercial bankers have expressed concern that it could be a prelude to freezing the accounts. 

Arabic version