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Could semi-naked pictures of the 'Uzbek Princess' put paid to her dream of inheriting power from dictator father?
Possible coup as secret services present leader Islam Karimov with dossier of 'compromising material' President is said to have launched ash tray and phone across the room before slapping daughter Gulnara in the face after seeing the pictures Spat could pose problem for the UK after the Government negotiated a deal to use the country to exit military equipment from Afghanistan
By Will Stewart PUBLISHED: 17:13 GMT, 3 November 2013 | UPDATED: 18:32 GMT, 3 November 2013

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The West is on alert over a possible coup in Uzbekistan as powerful henchmen surrounding 75-year-old ruler Islam Karimov battle with his glamorous but hated daughter Gulnara over the succession to the ailing autocrat. Ruthless secret services chief Rustam Inoyatov allegedly presented her iron-fisted father a dossier of compromising materials including 'semi-naked pictures' of the 'Uzbek princess' and allegations of monumental financial corruption in a bid to permanently discredit her. This resulted in the incandescent president hurling an ashtray and mobile phone across his desk at his ex-KGB intelligence boss, but also summoning his 41-year-old daughter and slapping her in the face, it has been reported.

A possible coup threatens instability in Uzbekistan after President Islam Karimov was presented with a dossier of compromising material relating to his glamorous but hated daughter Gulnara Karimov

Karimov - whose regime is notorious for torture and boiling his foes to death - was then seen wandering alone in the grounds of his Tashkent presidential palace, evidently weeping uncontrollably. Instability amid a fight for the succession in Uzbekistan could pose problems for Britain where Defence Secretary Philip Hammond negotiated a deal to use the country to exit military hardware from Afghanistan. Gulnara previously seen as untouchable, was last week stripped of her lucrative television and radio holdings in Uzbekistan, in an extraordinary clampdown on the most powerful woman in Central Asia. The 41-year-old amassed a fortune worth an estimated 400 million under her father's corrupt rule which began with the fall of the USSR when the gas and cotton rich country gained independence.

Uzbek President Islam Karimov reportedly threw an ash tray and phone across the room when presented with the semi-naked photos of his daughter

Last week on Twitter she admitted to attacks on her businesses by her father's regime and claimed she had suffered mercury poisoning, saying of her foes: 'Thanks to God they didn't bring me down.' She is variously known as a pop star, diplomat, oligarch and charity doyen and, in her own words, a 'poet, mezzo-soprano, designer and exotic Uzbekistan beauty'. In the past she has lured Sting and Julio Iglesias to Tashkent for concerts but recent Lara Fabian abruptly cancelled an appearance. Last month, a key political ally of the 'first daughter', Akbarali Abdullayev, 29, a nephew of the president's wife, was arrested amid suspicions she was promoting him as a future puppet ruler with her pulling the strings. Abdullayev had been promised immunity by Inoyatov if he returned from a foreign trip but in the event was promptly arrested. This prompted the 'first daughter' to accuse the secret police chief: 'Are you a man or not? Put a skirt on your fat ass. Understood?' She then stormed into his office hurling 'insults and obscenities'. 'Kicking the door and furniture in his office, she scolded the head of the Uzbek security services and demanded the release of Akbarali Abdullayev,' reported The Times of Central Asia, an opposition media outlet published from outside the country, one of a number of sources to report lurid accounts of disarray in the Uzbek ruling clan. After being shown a dossier including allegations of business transgressions and personal abuse, 'a mobile phone and ash tray were thrown into Inoyatov from Karimov's desk', it was claimed. It is unclear which allegedly revealing photographs offended the Muslim president - who was once a member of the Soviet Union's ruling politburo.

Ruthless secret service chief Rustam Inoyatov allegedly handed the 41-year-old's father a dossier including allegations of monumental financial corruption in a bid to permanently discredit Gulnara

However, Gulnara was pictured in April wearing little more than peacock feathers in a shoot. Karimov summoned his top officials, and accused them of keeping him in the dark over his daughter's excesses. 'The President cursed at Prosecutor General Rashid Kadyrov for disguising the truth about financial and other deals of Gulnara Karimova. Interior Minister Matlubov was accused by the President of misleading him. 'Karimov ordered Inoyatov and Matlubov to immediately arrest all chiefs of counter-corruption divisions of the National Security Service and Interior Ministry, who were aware of those deals and did nothing to counteract them.' A total of 18 high ranking officials were arrested or dismissed and a number of Gulnara allies fled abroad, it was reported.

After summoning Gulnara, President Karimov reportedly slapped her telling the 41-year-old she had disgraced the family in front of the whole world

After summoning Gulnara, Karmimov first slapped her and then really started to beat Gulnara. He said that she disgraced the family in front of the whole world. 'The President's bodyguards tried to calm him down. 'Later, the President asked all his bodyguards and servants to leave him alone. He did not go into the building of the residence, but decided to have a walk in the garden.

'At night, while returning to the residence, some bodyguards noticed that he was crying.' The noose has been tightening gradually on Gulnara who in July was removed as ambassador to the UN in Geneva, and so forfeited her diplomatic immunity. She is reported to be under criminal investigation in France and at least one other European country. A leaked US telegram in 2005 dubbed her a 'robber baron' and 'the single most hated person' in Uzbekistan.

Gulnara is said to have amassed a fortune worth an estimated 400million under her father's corrupt rule which began with the fall of the USSR

'The vultures are circling around Karimov, who has not anointed a successor despite his ailing health and heart problems,' said a Western diplomatic source yesterday. 'They have picked off the once mighty Gulnara, but now may start fighting among themselves for the ultimate prize. 'Karimov's growing senility is leaving a vacuum in which his famous instability will not hold, leading to a coup or chaos.' Her enemies Inoyatov, deputy premier Rustam Azimov and premier Shavkat Mirziyoyev are all competing with each other for the presidency once Karimov is gone, he said. 'They want to destroy her business empire and political influence,' said journalist Daniil Kislov. On Twitter Gulnara targeted Inoyatov warning he 'has started his struggle to become Uzbekistan's next president.' Diviisions in the ruling family were earlier revealed when her younger sister, Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva, said she and Gulnara were estranged for 12 years. Gulnara hit back claiming Lola engages in sorcery. Former British ambassador to Uzbekistan Craig Murray has criticised the West for collaborating with Karimov in recent years. 'I'm talking of people being raped with broken bottles. I'm talking of people having their children tortured in

front of them until they sign a confession,' he said in 2009. 'I'm talking of people being boiled alive. And the intelligence from these torture sessions was being received by the CIA, and was being passed on.'

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Comments (18)
Share what you think Newest Oldest Best rated Worst rated View all anon, the universe, land Islands, 13 hours ago Most leaders are dictators - PERIOD !

20 180 Click to rate MUFC, England, United Kingdom, 13 hours ago Semi-naked?

7 238 Click to rate

Cocinero, Baghdad, Iraq, 13 hours ago nice

18 37

Click to rate Audacious, Ruxox, United Kingdom, 14 hours ago Are royals classed as dictators as well? Or just those that don't choose royal titles.

50 96 Click to rate AmyOnline111, Medway, United Kingdom, 14 hours ago She looks excellent for 41. I bet her dad wants her in a burka.

67 166 Click to rate Andy HB, Hebden Bridge, 14 hours ago Could semi-naked pictures of the 'Uzbek Princess' put paid to her dream of inheriting power from dictator father? I give up..no? Yes? Who cares?

12 130 Click to rate chimneysweep, london, United Kingdom, 14 hours ago Listen to Craig Murray.

4 61 Click to rate Zippodedooda, Warrington Cheshire, United Kingdom, 14 hours ago It is disgraceful that some countries are carrying out such atrocities and even more disgraceful that nothing is done by the civilised countries to bring these things to a full stop! I am so thankful every day for being born in the UK.

21 92 Click to rate Pendragon25, Christchurch - UK, 14 hours ago She is a very beautiful lady!

42 62 Click to rate Olivia Aaron, Santa Cruz, United States, 14 hours ago Banana republic.

17 67 Click to rate The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

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