The United Arab Emirates (UAE) government has said BlackBerry smartphones pose a "serious" threat to its national security, according to a report from the Emirates News Agency.

The UAE's telecoms watchdog said the way BlackBerry smartphone data is managed and stored means there is a serious risk of people misusing the service.

"As a result of how BlackBerry data is managed and stored, in their current form, certain BlackBerry applications allow people to misuse the service, causing serious social, judicial and national security repercussions," said a statement from the UAE's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA).

The TRA has placed BlackBerrys under review, with industry watchers saying it could lead to the brand's smartphones being subject to monitoring or restrictions by the TRA.

BlackBerry's Canadian manufacturer, Research In Motion, has so far refused to comment on the TRA's statement.

BlackBerry Security Threat

The TRA argue that the BlackBerry poses a security threat because it is "the only device operating in the UAE that immediately exports its data offshore and is managed by a foreign, commercial organisation". Email services and encrypted applications on BlackBerry devices are managed by RIM. This, the TRA says, means BlackBerry operates "beyond the jurisdiction of national legislation".

The central issue is that BlackBerrys were introduced to the UAE in 2006, meaning the smartphones and associated applications are not covered by the country's Safety, Emergency and National Security legislation that was introduced in 2007. The TRA is concerned that the devices are therefore open to misuse.

"We have been working for a long time to resolve these critical issues, with the objective of finding a solution that safeguards our consumers and operates within the boundaries of UAE law," the regulator's statement added.