A court in Abu Dhabi has opened the trial of 30 suspects charged with having links to Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood amid a widening crackdown on Islamists 'plotters' in the United Arab Emirates.

The suspects — 20 Egyptians and 10 Emiratis — deny the charges, which include trying to obtain security data. Six of the Egyptians are tried in absentia

The case comes four months after UAE convicted 69 people on charges of plotting an Islamist-inspired coup.

It reflects growing pressures on alleged Islamist opposition in Gulf nations such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE — strong backers of Egypt's military-supported leadership following the July ouster of the Brotherhood-led government.

UAE media say the next hearing is due Nov 12 to allow probes of the suspects' claims of abuses in prison.