Posts from — October 2011

[cb editor: rethinking it – wondering if 44 Humvees and 50 Bunker Busters will help New Revolutionary Government of Bahrain counter another Saudi Invasion? naahh… maybe Obama needs a mental check up, logic and reason seem to evade him, this certainly helps explain why he continues to take from the nations poorest in order to protect the wealthy. Orwell is rolling in his grave. ]

US arms won’t be used on Bahrain protesters: official
(AFP) –14 October, 2011

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration said Friday that a proposed arms sale to Bahrain is designed only for the Gulf kingdom’s “external defense,” seeking to soothe concerns the weapons would be used on protesters.

In a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Republican Senator Marco Rubio echoed other lawmakers’ concerns in urging the administration to delay the sale of any items in the $53 million weapons package that could be used against protesters in Bahrain.

But State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland insisted the weapons sale “is designed to support the Bahraini military in its external defense function, specifically in hardening the country against potential attack or nefarious activity by countries like Iran.”

“And we do have an interest in Bahrain being able to be strong militarily vis-a-vis the regional challenges that they face,” Nuland added.

She also stressed that Washington considers human rights concerns before seeking arms sales.

The senator’s letter came as pressure mounted in Congress against the proposed sale after Bahraini security forces in mid-March crushed a month-long protest that authorities say left 24 people dead, including four policemen.

The opposition puts the death toll at 31.

US lawmakers expressed dismay in January when it came to light that tear gas used against Egyptian demonstrators against deposed president Hosni Mubarak was found to be “Made in America.”

Since then, some have sought tighter restrictions on weapons and non-lethal equipment provided to Middle Eastern governments that could be used against protesters in the “Arab Spring” pro-democracy movement roiling the Middle East and North Africa.

Bahrain, located strategically in the Gulf opposite Iran, houses the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet.
…source

Bassiouni’s Royal report on Bahrain
Friday, October 14, 2011 – Angry Arab News

HEAR Bassiouni Interview HERE

Angry Arab chief Bahrain correspondent: “This is a very interesting interview by Cherief Bassiouni, head of the Bahrain “Independent” Commission of Inquiry. Bassiouni had stated that he would stop giving interviews before the report is submitted but I guess it was difficult for him to stay out of the limelight. What is disturbing about the interview is that it made clear – though we all knew this already – that the commission is operating under the premise that the King is innocent. Of course there is a possibility that the King indeed had nothing to do with what happened (which of course is another disaster all together because that means that no one is in control of the country) but why did the so called independent commission begin on this presumption? Bassiouni goes as far to say that the King is a reformer. How does he know this? Does he have a deep understanding of the problems that Bahrain faces and its history? Does he know the inner working of the royal family and what happens between closed doors? What worries me more though is the accusations that he levels against the doctors and the fact that he states that some of them seized the hospital. I have already explained to you in my previous email on Dr. Al Ekri about what happened in the hospital. What Bassiouni is saying is absolutely ridiculous. Another problem is that he seems to take as fact that the protestor given the death penalty did indeed run over and kill a police officer. The only evidence provided was a you tube video. This protestor may have killed the police officer (I do not know what happened) but how will we know if he was given a sham trial?

Since Bassiouni decided to reveal the results of the commission before the report is submitted, I can sum up the report for you: The government made mistakes. The protestors made mistakes. No high level government officials were responsible for the mistakes. Nothing was systemic.” …source

Bahrain forces attack, arrest protesters
Oct 14th, 2011 – Bahrain – By shiapost

A female protester has been injured and several others have been arrested as regime forces in Bahrain continue to attack peaceful demonstrators. The protesters were chanting anti-regime slogans on Friday when they were targeted with tear gas and sound grenades.

The violence left one woman seriously wounded in the town of Nuwaidrat where regime forces engaged in heavy clashes with anti-government protesters. Regime forces have also attacked female protesters in the village of Karzakan.

Several demonstrators were arrested after the Saudi-backed forces attempted to disperse protests in towns and villages around the capital, Manama. Tens of thousands of demonstrators staged a rally in the eastern village of Buri, demanding an independent judiciary system.

The mass rally, called by Bahrain’s main political bloc al-Wefaq, came despite stepped up security measures in the Persian Gulf Kingdom. Al-Wefaq has been organizing weekly rallies every week demanding political and social reforms in the tiny Persian Gulf sheikhdom.

Scores of people have been killed and hundreds more have been arrested in the brutal crackdown of Saudi-backed Bahraini regime forces on peaceful protesters since anti-government protests began in the Persian Gulf kingdom in mid-February. …source

[cb editor: It is truly exciting to see Senators and Congress-people climb onboard to stop the arms deal to Bahrain. However,it seems the fabricated threat to Saudi Arabia via Obama’s “Assassination Plot”, coupled with a righteous cause, suspending Arms sales to Bahrain, provides a convenient misdirection away from the Billions in US weapons sales underway to Saudi Arabia. Is it a real “break through” or simply a means to preoccupy a growing awareness of sleazy and greedy US arms dealing with the tyrants by US war profiteers in the Middle East

After all wasn’t it the Saudis that did the bulk of the murderous dirty work in March on behalf of the al Khalifas? Could one imagine that the real plot here is to misdirect attention and energies away from the Saudi weapons sales to make sure the precede unimpeded? And what are we really talking about here, some Humvees, Tanks and other hardware that the Saudis would eagerly, hell already have, deployed on Bahraini soil. Just leave the keys under the seat King Abdullah, thank you very much. Another angle we should all ponder I suppose. ]

UK tightens arms export controls after Arab Spring
By Adrian Croft – LONDON – Thu Oct 13, 2011 – Reuters

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain will tighten its arms export rules so it can swiftly halt sales of weapons, ammunition and tear gas to countries where there has been a sharp deterioration in security, the government said on Thursday.

The move is a response to criticism during the Arab Spring uprisings that Britain had recently approved the export of crowd control equipment that could have been used against demonstrators in countries such as Libya and Bahrain.

Prime Minister David Cameron faced censure for a trip in February to the Gulf on which he was joined by executives from defence companies and other businesses.

“We will introduce a new mechanism to allow ministers to respond more rapidly and decisively to the outbreak of conflict or to unpredictable events like the Arab Spring, by suspending licensing,” Foreign Secretary William Hague told parliament.

Britain said in February it was revoking more than 50 arms export licenses — including tear gas and ammunition licenses — for Bahrain and Libya whose security forces were at that time cracking down on protests, killing and wounding demonstrators.

Some arms export licenses for Egypt and Tunisia were also revoked.

A parliamentary committee said in April that both the 17-month-old coalition government and its Labour predecessor “misjudged the risk that arms approved for export to certain authoritarian countries in North Africa and the Middle East might be used for internal repression.”

The committee’s report highlighted a potential conflict of interest between the coalition government’s goal of boosting British manufactured exports, including weapon sales, and its commitment to uphold human rights.

Hague said in July that a review had concluded there was “no evidence of any misuse of controlled military goods exported from the United Kingdom” during the Arab Spring, but that more work was needed on how Britain’s arms control system operated.

Hague said on Thursday the government planned to introduce a new system which would allow “immediate licensing suspension to countries experiencing a sharp deterioration in security or stability.”

“Applications in the pipeline would be stopped and no further licenses issued, pending ministerial or departmental review,” he said.

Respect for human rights was already one of the mandatory criteria for approving arms export licenses, he said.

However, under the proposed new system, the Foreign Office would provide more information on the human rights situation in a country and ministerial oversight of licence applications would be increased, Hague said. …source

Iraqi Says He Made Up Tale of Biological Weapons Before War
By JAMES RISEN – Published: February 15, 2011

WASHINGTON — The Iraqi defector whose claims that Saddam Hussein’s government had biological weapons became part of the Bush administration’s justification for the 2003 invasion of Iraq has admitted that he fabricated his story.

The defector, Rafid Ahmed Alwan al-Janabi, who was code-named “Curveball” by the Central Intelligence Agency and German intelligence officials, told the British newspaper The Guardian on Tuesday that he had concocted his tale that Iraq was hiding mobile bioweapons laboratories. He did so, he said, in hopes that his lies would lead to the eventual overthrow of the Iraqi ruler.

“I had the chance to fabricate something to topple the regime,” Mr. Janabi told the newspaper. “I and my sons are proud of that, and we are proud that we were the reason to give Iraq the margin of democracy.”

Mr. Janabi, who lives in Germany, has given several interviews in the past, but until now has always denied that he had lied to his intelligence handlers before the war in Iraq, even though his information had long been discredited.

The strange case of “Curveball” has become one of the most infamous episodes in the Bush administration’s case for war. Mr. Janabi’s claim about the mobile laboratories was featured prominently in Secretary of State Colin L. Powell’s address to the United Nations in February 2003, when he laid out the administration’s case that Mr. Hussein was hiding weapons of mass destruction.

The United States invaded Iraq in March 2003, and eventually determined that Iraq did not have any such weapons. It later became clear that the Bush administration had relied heavily on bogus information from unreliable exiles like Mr. Janabi.

Even before the invasion, there was strong evidence that Mr. Janabi was an unreliable source, evidence which critics now say the Bush White House and the C.I.A.’s top leadership ignored.

Mr. Janabi, who defected to Germany in the 1990s, met repeatedly with German intelligence officials beginning in 2000. They refused to allow C.I.A. officials to meet directly with him, instead providing the Americans only with reports of what he had said.

Eventually, though, the Germans grew doubtful of their informer and passed on their suspicions to American intelligence officials.
…more

This is an urgent appeal for the life of Hassan Mushaima, 63 year old president of Haq movement, sentenced to lifetime imprisonment. Mushaima had recently been treated for cancer, and his family now tell us the doctor at the military hospital has told Mushaima that his cancer is back. Please find below the appeal sent from his family.

As received from Hassan Mushaima’s family:

1. He was arrested two days after the entry of the Saudi army to Bahrain 16/03/2011 after raiding his house by masked armed men and taken him to an unknown place.
2. Later we discovered that he was taken to a prison near “Sheikh Issa” base, and the rest of the prominent political leaders.
3. Subjected to severe torture and was placed in front of air conditioner and he sprayed with cold water; beaten from time to time that his body was trembling in the first session of the Court
4. He was taken to hospital blindfolded and his head was covered; he was given medicine but did not know what it contains. The doctor responsible for that didn’t know what it as well. Mushaima did not see anyone and did not even recognize the place, to which he was taken.
5. In the court session where he was sentenced with life imprisonment, the security forces were beating him and kicking with their shoes and wipe it in his mouth as a kind of humiliation in front of the rest of the political leaders who were subjected to torture as well.
6. He was taken as the first time to the same place with the same way, as he was blindfolded and injected again. After tests were conducted to him, his physician supervisor (who did not see him and does not know even his name) that Mushaima still has cancer. This is contradicting what was confirmed by a doctor, Professor, “Cunningham” who oversaw treatment in the hospital, “Royal Marzdn” in London to get rid of the entire tumor, which was widespread in different parts of his body. The diagnosis by the Professor was that the treatment should take the place for two years taking protection dose every two months so cancer cells do not get active again in the future, but that it had been treated.
7. As his family, We asked and through the lawyer several times to give us the results of tests conducted to him at the prison, but the military court rejected that.
8. When Mr. Bassiouni met the Hassan and the rest of the leaders in the prison, he promised to provide the family with the results of the examinations and follow up through his committee, but we did not get anything.
9. About two weeks ago, he was taken for the third time with the same way blindfolded and given third dose.
10. Two issues are dangerous and serious:

The first is that the doctor who is giving him a dose from inside the prison said that the cancer is in the body. But, Mushaima on his return to Bahrain was cured and got rid of the entire tumor. He was given doses in London, preventive rather than remedial, which is considered to be the second phase of treatment.

Second: the nature of the disease has no virtual impact and the patient can exercise his life naturally without feeling anything. But after the spread of the tumor, the patient’s life is at risk and it can be almost impossible to treat the patient if the aggravation of the tumor and the situation worsened. Therefore, as the disease returned to the Mr. without explaining its size or causes, without the provision of appropriate treatment, with poor prison conditions and harsh treatment is a try to kill him slowly.”

Brief detention of journalist: Mazen Mahdi: “I was covering the protest following funeral march when anti-riot police stopped me while they were storming the area. They detained me on-location and the bright minds thought that “press” on my vest meant “press tv”. Their idea of detention is a choke-hold and verbal threats .. The initial arrest was carried out by a unit of 8 or so men. A second unit joined them as they lead me away and despite identifying me as a press with Ministry of Interior press card they still detained me. A third unit in cars also joined “the great catch” and after the show of force Ministry of Interior control told them to release me on radio. The officer leading the cars unit words “next time neither Ministry of Interior press card, your agency card, embassy, Bush or Obama will stop us”. I did inform the Ministry of Interior of incident and all that was described as an “individual action” I guess the unit is seen as one. As “individual act” on my side I reported them to my offices considering it is not even 5 months since they had me guest at police stations. I was told 2 report my whereabouts during coverage As far as I know China, North Korea, Cuba, Irand and Saudi are only ones with such requirements.”

Date set for Bahrain execution decision
Bahrain Date: 11 October 2011 – Amnesty International

URGENT ACTION
date set for bahrain execution decision

The final judicial decision on whether the death sentences of two Bahraini men will be upheld will be heard on 24 October. If their death sentences are upheld, the two men will be executed unless the King grants them clemency.

On 22 May, the National Safety Court of Appeal, a military court, upheld the death sentences imposed on ‘Ali ‘Abdullah Hassan al-Sankis and ‘Abdulaziz ‘Abdulridha Ibrahim Hussain. The two men had been sentenced to death on 28 April, along with three other men whose sentences were commuted on 22 May. They were accused of killing two policemen during anti-government protests in March in Bahrain.

The case of the two men was referred to Bahrain’s Court of Cassation on appeal. The Court of Cassation’s verdict is scheduled for 24 October. If the sentences are upheld by the Court of Cassation, and then ratified by the King, the two men will be executed.

The two men were originally tried and sentenced by the National Safety Court of First Instance. Like the National Safety Court of Appeal, this is a military court comprising three judges – one military and two civilian. Amnesty International considers military courts inappropriate for trying civilians and that such trials directly infringe international standards of fair trial.

Please write immediately in Arabic or English:

Acknowledge the Bahraini government’s responsibility to protect the public and bring to justice those responsible for committing crimes, however this should always be done in accordance with international law and fair trial standards and Bahrain’s international human rights obligations;

Urge the King to immediately extend clemency to the two defendants and commute the death sentences imposed on them if the death sentences are confirmed by the Court of Cassation, and order their re-trial before ordinary criminal courts.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 23 NOVEMBER 2011 TO:

King Shaikh Hamad bin ‘Issa Al Khalifa
Office of His Majesty the King
P.O. Box 555
Rifa’a Palace, Manama, Bahrain
Fax: +973 1766 4587

Salutation: Your Majesty
Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs
Shaikh Khaled bin Ali Al Khalifa
Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs
P. O. Box 450, Manama, Bahrain
Fax: +973 17531284

Salutation: Your Excellency

…source

Manama Document (English)
Published: October 13, 2011

Bahrain’s road to freedom and democracy

A joint document by opposition political societies

In the name of God

Bahrain’s reality

The reality in Bahrain is no different from any non-democratic state, a copy of Tunisia’s Ben Ali a, Egypt’s Mubarak, and Yemen’s Saleh. Lack of democracy is evidenced by absence of popular will in formation of the government, confiscation of popular resolve in legislation, and a deficient judiciary. Recent verdicts issued by the judicial system have received widespread condemnation, described by Navy Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights as political prosecution and depicted by Amnesty International as travesty of justice.

Accordingly, this unfortunate reality has produced an unelected prime minister for some 40 years, making him of the longest serving premiers, a police state as well as confiscation of natural rights of the people, in turn guaranteed by the constitution, National Action Charter and international conventions. Other shortcomings include restrictions placed on movements of opposition figures from all ideologies plus denying a large section of the population from employment opportunities in security apparatus in a clear display of discriminatory practices.

Additionally, absence of principles of elected government together with accountability has placed limits on the authorities can achieve such as failing to diversify sources of income, with the petroleum sector accounting for 80 per cent of treasury income. Other governmental inadequacies include presence of an acute housing problem, with 54000 outstanding requests, thus affecting some 270,000 nationals or nearly half of local citizens.

Likewise, the government has failed in completing essential infrastructure, with some villages still suffering from improper roads besides disruption of electricity services during the long summer months. Sadly, all these shortfalls are occurring in a country where was oil discovered in it in 1932, ahead of many regional countries.

Furthermore, education continues to suffer, as evidenced by congested classes, with number of students increasing from 25 per class in 1984 to 35 per class in 2010. With regards to health, the country largely depends on a single hospital, namely Salmaniya Medical Complex, in turn constructed in early 1960s. Yet, financial and administrative corruption has delayed commissioning of a planned hospital for some 20 years.

In reality, sustained financial and administrative corruption practices have undermined normal governmental functioning and hence on services extended to the citizens. Also, this sad state has caused loss of investment potentials from local and foreign sources. Not surprisingly, regional rivals of Dubai and Qatar continue to make headway at the expense of Bahrain.

In the presence of an unelected government under statesmanship of a single person for 40 years, some 80 per cent of public land ended being controlled by senior members from the royal family and other influential figures. Consequently, this has placed constraints on availability of lands for the purposes of developing projects for housing, municipality, education and health facilities.

Still, the country suffers from an acute poor distribution of wealth and widespread poverty notwithstanding Bahrain being an oil exporting nation, exporting some 200,000 barrels per day. Wrong policies like extending citizenship to foreign nationals have further undermined distribution of wealth in the country.

Against a backdrop of political dictatorship, economic failure and social confusion of government policies, people of Bahrain had pressed for change. Popular demands date back to 1923 with calls made for participation in decision making and 1938 for having an elected assembly with full legislator and regulatory powers. In reality, popular uprisings kept reemerging almost like those of 1954, 1965 and still 1994-2000, the largest of its kind at the time. Thus, there were the revolts of 1954 plus that of March 1965 as well as that of 1994-2000.

Still, affected primarily by events in Tunisia and Egypt as part of Arab Spring, nearly half of Bahrain’s people took to the streets in early 2011 pressing for democracy, respect of human rights and sustained human development. Yet, the demands call for retaining the royal family in terms of ruling and governing without powers, as a true constitutional monarchy.

In short, Bahrain is undergoing rivalry between two camps, one demanding democracy, comprising of people of all walks of life and diverse ideologies with another struggling to maintain the status quo despite need for addressing political, economic and social challenges.

Primary demands of Bahraini people

The majority of people and mainstream opposition groups desire to see burgeoning of democracy whilst maintaining the monarchy under the slogan of “people want reform of the system.” Proceeding upon the seven principles spelled out by the country’s crown prince on 13 March 2011, demands of the people can be summed up as follows:

1) An elected government representing will of the people rather than an appointed government. Through their elected representative, people can cast vote of confidence to the prime minister, other ministers prior to assuming their jobs and have the means to withdraw granted confidence should they fail in their duties.

2) Fair electoral districts guaranteeing political equality amongst the people and meeting the universal principle of one person, one vote. At the moment, the current 40-member electoral system is malfunctioning by virtue of dividing the country along sectarian lines, and producing a chamber comprising of loyalists of the regime. In realty, each of number one district in northern and central governances plus number nine district in the northern governance, boasts some 16,000 voters. Conversely, the same numbers of voters in the southern governorate, known for being a loyalist to the regime, can equally elect 6 representatives.

Concurrently, a call is made for establishing an independent commission for administering the election process rather than being dominated by the state through justice ministry and statistical agency.

3) A parliament comprising of a single chamber having sole legislative and regulatory powers, replacing the current bi-cameral arrangement, one elected and the other appointed.

4) A trustworthy judicial system independent from the executive branch both financially and administratively. The judicial system must act in transparent ways and serve as an impartial entity and show willingness to look on all cases including possible assaults carried out by members of security forces.

5) Security for all via participation of all walks of life in the country in formation of the army and other security apparatus on the basis of providing security for all, and trained to show respect for human rights at all times, rather than serving wishes of the government in suppressing the opposition.

These demanded reforms stipulate setting up a new constitutional formula, in turn requiring approval of the majority of people via either an elected constituent assembly or a popular referendum. In retrospect, the crown prince has embraced the notion of the referendum whilst announcing his 7 principles on 13 March 2011.

Concurrently, three critical issues must be addressed in parallel with the mentioned political reforms, namely

1) Political naturalization: This can be addressed through setting up a committee mandated to study cases of granted citizenship over the last 20 years, sorting out granting passports via questionable means and correcting wrong cases in the context of human rights.

2) Discrimination: It is vital to do away with all sorts of discriminatory practices on any basis whilst addressing consequences resulting from this wrong policy.

3) Official media: Agreeing on a new media policy encompassing views of all nationals.

Adopted methods

In pursuit of democracy, opposition forces intend to fully and solely embrace peaceful measures, as follows:

1) Popular movement: Engaging in peaceful rallies, marches and sit-ins as guaranteed by international conventions notably the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

2) Media sources: Making use of traditional and modern media means, inside and outside Bahrain.

3) Political activities: Keeping channels of communications open for all those interested in reforming the system as well as reaching out to governments and associations across the globe.

4) Human rights issues: Recording all major human rights violations and communicating them with concerned international organisations in the hope of stopping such wrong practices.

Opposition forces are determined to attain their just demands via adoption of peaceful measures and rejection of tyranny.

Bahrain of the future

Undoubtedly, Bahrain is an Arab and a Muslim. And in of attaining the desired popular demands in pursuit of democracy, then the opposition intends to ensure the following:

* Developing full democracy by allowing formation of political parties, strengthening civil society, ensuring respect for human rights, opening up horizons for freedom of expression and assembly and strengthening of personal freedom

* Maintaining interests of all sides in Bahrain in an environment of no tolerance for discriminatory practices of all types, be they racial, religious, sectarian or political

* Exerting efforts for stopping all types of violations pertaining to immigrant workers and improving working and living conditions of non-nationals

* Strengthening ties with members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Conference

* Pressing for strong ties with democratic and friendly countries, as stipulated in international conventions

* Developing the economic environment based on market economy and enticing local and foreign investments whilst ensuring sustained competitiveness and transparency

Road to solution

Undoubtedly, the wrong practices of threatening people demanding reforms and democracy could not success. Hence, the only forward is that of a dialogue between the authorities and opposition forces for the goal of achieving democracy, based on the seven principles outlined by the crown prince on 13 March 2011. Amongst others, the principles press for a government representing will of the people, an elected parliament with comprehensive powers and fair electoral districts. Still, the dialogue should take place with international guarantees.

Outcome of the dialogue should lead to a new constitutional framework resulting from approval of the majority via a constituent assembly, in turn the best possible option, or a referendum, as put forward by the crown prince on 13 March 2011. When calling for dialogue with the authorities, the opposition has not called for exclusion of any party and has no intention of monopoly of views.

For the sake of democracy

1) The international community is looked up to encourage reforms and moderates in the system and concurrently to exclude the extremists. Also, the international community would need to provide political and economic support during the transition to democracy whilst blocking whilst undermining those seeking to bock proliferation of democracy in the country.
2) Whilst welcomed, international condemnation of human rights violation in Bahrain is certainly not sufficient. Sadly, Bahrain remains a police state.
3) Support for democracy in Bahrain should encourage development of democracy elsewhere in the region and beyond.
4) Support for democracy in Bahrain should serve the benefits of all people of all walks of life in Bahrain.

Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society
National Democratic Action Society (Waad)
Nationalist Democratic Assembly
National Democratic Assemblage
Al-Ekha National Society
Manama, Bahrain, 12 October 2011

…source

Unlikely Turn for a Suspect in a Terror Plot
By ROBERT F. WORTH and LAURA TILLMAN – Published: October 12, 2011 – NYT

But Mansour J. Arbabsiar, 56, the man at the center of an alleged Iranian plot to kill a Saudi diplomat in Washington, seems to have been more a stumbling opportunist than a calculating killer. Over the 30-odd years he lived in Texas, he left a string of failed businesses and angry creditors in his wake, and an embittered ex-wife who sought a protective order against him. He was perennially disheveled, friends and acquaintances said, and hopelessly disorganized.

Mr. Arbabsiar, now in custody in New York, stands accused by federal prosecutors of running a global terrorist plot that stretched from Mexico to Tehran, and that was directed by the Quds Force of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. Many of his old friends and associates in Texas seemed stunned at the news, not merely because he was not a zealot, but because he seemed too incompetent to pull it off.

“His socks would not match,” said Tom Hosseini, a former college roommate and friend. “He was always losing his keys and his cellphone. He was not capable of carrying out this plan.”

On Wednesday, American officials, who say the plot was endorsed by top Iranian authorities, were exploring why the sophisticated Quds Force might have chosen to rely on so amateurish an agent as Mr. Arbabsiar. …more

Bahrain opposition unites to decry “police state”
By Andrew Hammond – Reuters –October 13, 2011

DUBAI (Reuters) – In a defiant show of unity, Bahrain opposition parties have jointly denounced the Sunni-ruled Gulf Arab island as a police state and demanded a transition to a constitutional monarchy.

Five groups, including the main Shi’ite party Wefaq and the secular Waad party, vowed to keep up a pro-democracy campaign with peaceful rallies and marches — despite a Saudi-backed government crackdown that crushed similar protests in March.

In their “Manama Document,” the first such joint statement since the unrest, the opposition groups said Bahrain was a police state akin to those that prevailed in Egypt and Tunisia before popular uprisings swept their leaders from power.

The document, issued on Wednesday, said the ruling Al Khalifa family’s role should be to “govern without powers” in a constitutional monarchy, drawing attacks from pro-government media which described as a power grab by majority Shi’ites.

Unrest still roils Bahrain months after the ruling family brought in troops from Sunni allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to help crush a protest movement they said was fomented by Iran and had Shi’ite sectarian motives.

The government says nightly clashes between police and Shi’ite villagers and other forms of civil disobedience are hurting the economy of the banking and tourism hub. Many firms have relocated elsewhere in the Gulf.

A military court has convicted 21 opposition figures, human rights campaigners and online activists who led the protests of trying to overthrow the ruling system. Eight received life sentences, including Waad leader Ibrahim Sharif, a Sunni.

“In pursuit of democracy, opposition forces intend to fully and solely embrace peaceful measures,” the Manama Document said, calling for a direct dialogue between the government and opposition, backed by unspecified international guarantees. …more

Bahrain Special: Zainab Omran Tells Her Story of Detention at City Center Mall
October 7, 2011 – by AuthorScott Lucas – EA WorldView

Zainab Omran was one of 45 women detained at City Center Mall on 23 September as marchers tried to reach Pearl Roundabout, the symbolic centre of the protests against the Bahraini regime. This is the first part of her story:

We went out on Friday, Sept. 23. We did not know, “Where do we go?” We wanted to join any march to have a voice in the event.

One of my sisters suggested that we approach the City Centre becuase the route was still open and we arrived there at 2:30 pm.

We went up having only our phones in our hands and we sat waiting. Glimpsing the faces of many protesters, we exchanged smiles and greetings from a distance.

At exactly three o’clock we met and we agreed to get out of each group separately so as not to draw attention to us. I was communicating with one of the news pages and it told me they would be at the taxi gate.

We went to that point and we had parted from the rest of the groups when we got there. There were many foreigners, we were talking with foreigners and introducing them to the situation in Bahrain: we said it was not safe, as there are many dead, but we are willing to go out in a peaceful demonstration and that we will be immediately suppressed.

In the meantime, there was a tremendous amount of informers near us. And they knew from our faces that we areintending to demonstrate. Someone was watching us and brought a Bahrain TV cameraman in a bus to picture us. We saw him and screamed at him. Then one of the television broadcasters, along with a cameraman came to us. My uncle’s wife told him that he must record live to show the world that the situation in Bahrain is not safe.

And then the young people at 3:30 started to say, “Oh mighty God” and “Pray on the soul of Prophet Mohammed”. We also started to say this. Because were in the middle of foreigners, we weren’t suppressed but once we moved further away from them, we were at risk. My friend couldn’t breathe so we went to the ground floor of the parking lot [at City Centre Mall] to rest. When mercenaries arrived, the only way out was to climb of the ladder and enter the Mall compound.

as soon as we entered we saw an abnormal situation. People were screaming and people began moving toward the event and we joined the march. We were going all over the ground floor and Al-Khalifa [regime] supporters were on the second floor and third. They were throwing bottles of water on us, spitting, and shouting “People want Khalifa bin Salman”. We continued, ignoring their presence. …more

Urgent Appeal: Women And Girls Detained In Bahrain
11 Oct 2011 – Amnesty International – BCHR

Sixteen women and four girls, detained on 23 September,are being tried on charges which include ‘illegal gathering’, and “incitement to hatred of the regime”. Some claim they have
been tortured in detention and their lawyers have not been allowed to visit them. They maybe prisoners of conscience if convicted.

On 23 September Bahraini security forces arrested 38 women and seven girls in a city center mall in Manama. They were preparing to take part in a protest march that was heading for the GCC Roundabout (formerly Pearl Roundabout).

The women and girls were arrested without arrest warrants and interrogated without the presence of lawyers. Some of them allege that they were tortured or otherwise ill-treated during interrogation. Most of the group was released, but 16 women and four girls were formally charged. The charges include illegal gathering, incitement to hatred of the regime and assaulting security officers. Two of the women have been released on bail and 14 remain in prison in ‘Issa Town, south of Manama. The four girls were released on bail.

The trials of all 16 women and four girls began on 3 October before a lower criminal court and a juvenile court respectively. A second session followed on 6 October, and a third on 10 October. The defendants were only allowed to meet their lawyers in court. Their lawyers have requested to visit them in prison but have received no answer. A lawyer told Amnesty International that several requests to bring defense witnesses to the court had been rejected.

Amnesty International is not aware of any evidence that the accused used or advocated violence. They may all be prisoners of conscience if convicted solely on the basis of the legitimate exercise of their rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly. As such Amnesty International would call for their immediate and unconditional release. …more

The chronicle: Bahrain Cracks Down on Student Protesters With Harsh Sentences
October 10, 2011 – By Ursula Lindsey – BCHR

Cairo – When protesters took to the streets of Bahrain eight months ago, they hoped to bring the Arab Spring to the small Persian Gulf island kingdom, and to end what they described as decades of discrimination by the ruling Sunni minority against the Shiite majority. But the repression that followed has dashed hopes for peaceful reform.

The crackdown has had “a chilling effect” on university campuses, says Joe Stork, deputy director of Human Rights Watch’s Middle East and North Africa division. Shiite students and professors told The Chronicle that discrimination against them is now “wide open” and described an atmosphere of fear, suspicion, and intimidation.

On October 3, six university students were sentenced to 15-year jail terms and another student to an 18-year term by a special military court. They were accused of attempted murder, arson, and vandalism in connection with clashes that took place on the campus of the University of Bahrain, the main national university, on March 13. The students and their supporters say the violence that day was carried out by Bahrain security forces and government supporters, none of whom have been charged.

Other students and professors are facing charges of illegal assembly, incitement, and disturbing the peace. At least 100 professors and university administrators have been fired, and about 60 students have been denied the right to continue their studies.

The court cases, dismissals, and expulsions are “part of a campaign against all antigovernment and pro-democracy protesters,” says a member of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, a prominent local group that the government dissolved in 2004 but whose members continue to work anonymously online. “The movement hasn’t stopped yet. Although they were attacked, detained, tortured, although students were suspended, still they demanded their right. The government is trying to silence them and pressure them.”

Starting on February 14, Bahrain witnessed protests modeled on those that had toppled regimes in Tunisia and Egypt. Bahrain’s majority Shiite population began a large peaceful sit-in at a central square known as the Pearl Roundabout, demanding more democratic governance and social justice from the small island kingdom’s Sunni ruling family.

But the authorities accused the protesters of wanting to overthrow the government and of being agents of Iran. In March, they called in troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (fellow Sunni monarchies), opened fire on protesters, razed the prominent monument that gave Pearl Roundabout its name, and declared a state of emergency. Since then, a wide-scale campaign of arrests, trials and dismissals has singled out not only professors and students, but also thousands of public-sector employees, doctors, and teachers.

According to a recent Human Rights Watch report, masked security forces have arrested professors in nighttime raids at their homes and have beaten and threatened students during interrogations.

Masaud Jahromi, a professor arrested in April and held incommunicado for a month, will go to trial on October 12 on charges of “attending an illegal gathering.”

Bahraini scholars have been dismissed for crimes such as “forwarding e-mails defaming Bahrain” or “criticizing the government in front of non-Bahraini professors.”

“All the dismissed are Shias. Ninty-nine-point-nine percent of those jailed were Shias. There’s no way you can say it’s not discrimination against Shias,” says a professor fired from the University of Bahrain, who spoke to The Chronicle on condition of anonymity.

Summoned before a committee of “pro-government faculty members” the professor says he was shown photographs of himself in a protest march. When he hesitated to confirm his presence, he was told by the investigating committee that the questioning could be continued at the Ministry of Interior. He remains concerned that he might face further interrogations or a trial, like some of his colleagues. …more

Casey to Secretary Clinton: Delay Arms Sale to Bahrain
Wednesday, October 12, 2011

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs, today led a group of Senators urging Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to delay a proposed arms sale to Bahrain in light of the country’s ongoing repression of peaceful demonstrations.

“Completing an arms sale to Bahrain under the current circumstances would weaken U.S. credibility at a critical time of democratic transition in the Middle East,” the Senators wrote in a letter to Secretary Clinton. “We urge you to send a strong signal that the United States does not condone the repression of peaceful demonstrators by delaying the possible arms sale until the Bahraini government releases its political prisoners, addresses the independent commission’s recommendations, and enters into meaningful dialogue with Bahraini civil society and opposition groups.”

Senator Casey was joined in sending the letter by Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL), Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

The full text of the letter is below.

Dear Secretary Clinton:

We are writing to urge the administration to delay its proposed arms sale to Bahrain in light of the country’s ongoing repression of peaceful demonstrations.

We recognize the administration’s commitment to the United States’ strategic relationship with Bahrain, which has been an important feature of our national security strategy in the Middle East for many years. However, the Bahraini government’s repressive treatment of peaceful protestors during the past several months is unacceptable. The United States must make it clear to the government of Bahrain that its ongoing human rights violations and unwillingness to acknowledge legitimate demands for reform have a negative impact on its relationship with the United States.

Since February, the people of Bahrain have used peaceful means to demand democratic reforms and protection for human rights – fundamental values shared by the United States. The Bahraini government’s brutal response, including the use of torture, is inexcusable. According to Human Rights Watch, 34 people have been killed, 1,400 have been arrested, and 3,600 have been dismissed from their jobs for anti-government activities. In a country with a population of only 525,000, this represents a systematic effort to intimidate and punish those who promote democratic reform.

In May, President Obama criticized the mass arrests and brute force used to subdue protestors, and urged the Bahraini government to engage in meaningful dialogue with the opposition. While the independent commission charged with investigating the protests and ensuing events was a positive development, we have yet to see the results of the investigation or whether its recommendations will be acted upon. We were also encouraged to see that Bahraini judicial authorities nullified the prison terms of Bahraini medical professionals, some of whom have been sentenced to 15 years in prison for simply attending to injured protestors. We question the need for further legal proceedings against these individuals, but expect that they should be conducted in a fair, impartial and transparent manner. In addition, we remain deeply concerned about the treatment of countless other Bahrainis who have been detained through the special security courts.

Completing an arms sale to Bahrain under the current circumstances would weaken U.S. credibility at a critical time of democratic transition in the Middle East. We urge you to send a strong signal that the United States does not condone the repression of peaceful demonstrators by delaying the possible arms sale until the Bahraini government releases its political prisoners, addresses the independent commission’s recommendations, and enters into meaningful dialogue with Bahraini civil society and opposition groups.

We look forward to continuing a dialogue on encouraging peaceful political transitions at this historic moment in that region of the world.

Sincerely,

Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr.

…source
Senator Richard Durbin
Senator Benjamin Cardin
Senator Robert Menendez
Senator Ron Wyden

5 Senate Democrats ask Clinton to delay arms sales to Bahrain, cite human rights violations
By Associated Press – October 12, 4:10 PM – Washington Post

WASHINGTON — Five Democratic senators are asking Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to delay $53 million in arms sales to violence-wracked Bahrain.

In a letter Wednesday, the lawmakers criticized Bahrain’s human rights violations and resistance to calls for reform. They said completing the sale would weaken U.S. credibility amid democratic transitions in the Middle East.

At least 35 people have died since Bahrain’s Shiite-led majority began protests in February seeking greater rights from the ruling Sunni monarchy in the strategic nation, which is home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet.

Signing the letter were Sens. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Ben Cardin of Maryland, Ron Wyden of Oregon, Dick Durbin of Illinois and Bob Menendez of New Jersey. Wyden and Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts have introduced a resolution blocking the sale.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. …source

HRH Premier hails strong Bahraini-Saudi relations
12/10/2011 – BNA

Manama, Oct. 12 (BNA)—His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa described the Bahraini-Saudi relations as unparalleled due to their specificity and unique nature.
He hailed strong ties binding both countries thanks to the leaderships’ keenness to further cement them throughout history.

Speaking at a meeting today with Saudi President General of the Youth Welfare and President of the Saudi Olympic Committee Prince Nawaf bin Faisal bin Fahad bin Abdulaziz, HRH the Prime Minister lauded the outstanding role of Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, in serving Arab and Islamic issues as well as its strong influence in international decision-making.

“Saudi Arabia is the bulwark of all Arabs and Muslims,” he said.

Prince Nawaf, who is visiting Bahrain to attend the opening ceremony of the First GCC Games (Bahrain 11), which was patronized yesterday by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, conveyed to HRH the Prime Minister the greetings of the Saudi monarch, Crown Prince, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Second Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. …source

Is Iran’s Alleged Cash-for-Assassinations Plot Too Implausible to Be True?
By Paul Mutter, October 12, 2011 – FPIF

Today, US Attorney General Eric Holder reported that an FBI-DEA action, “Operation Red Coalition,” has successfully prevented a campaign of Iranian terrorist attacks in the US and Argentina. Attorney General Holder and law enforcement personnel all assert that the operations were approved at highest levels of the Iranian government, but refer to “factions of the Iranian government” rather than “the Iranian government” as being responsible. Despite the saber-rattling, it appears that the US government does not want to completely assign blame for the attack on Iran’s top leadership.

A criminal complaint has been filed, based off of an FBI affidavit presented to a New York judge, charging five Iranians, including several Iranian-Americans, with plotting to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the US, Adel Al-Jubeir. They are also suspected of seeking to bomb the Saudi and Israeli embassies in both DC and Buenos Aires.

Purportedly undertaken in the spring with the blessing of high-level Iranian officials, an Iranian-American naturalized citizen named Mansour Arbabsiar approached a DEA informant (referred to only as “CS-1”) masquerading as a member of “Drug Cartel #1,” which ABC reports is probably the Mexican-based Los Zetas Cartel. As to why Mansour approached cartels, he is said to have been ordered to by his superiors “because people in that business are willing to undertake criminal activity in exchange for money.”

US media reports that Mansour also promised CS-1 to supply his/her cartel with “tons of opium” as part of their deal, though this has not been mentioned in any of the papers made public by the Justice Department.

CS-1 is described as “a paid confidential source” who, in exchange for having unspecified State Department charges dropped against him/her, agreed to become a mole for the DEA. The report discloses that CS-1 is on federal payrolls and is regarded as a “reliable” source of intelligence, and that some of the exchanges between Mansour took place in Mexico. The DEA’s informant policies are extremely well-kept secrets, and also very expensive and controversial. And like the FBI’s informant programs that have exposed numerous alleged terrorist plots, this plot was, apparently, held together by the informant, who presented himself as an explosives expert and promised to deliver C-4 for the operation.

Working through Mansour, the group in Iran was said to have sent US$100,000 (obtained from the Iranian government) to CS-1 as a “down payment” on a US$1.5 million assassination contract. When CS-1 suggested that an attack on the ambassador in a restaurant would also kill US civilians, Mansour replied that “sometime [sic], you know, you have no choice,” a point that US officials have (somewhat hypocritically, as Glenn Greenwald points out, given our “collateral damage” record overseas) reiterated time and again to try and demonstrate that the Iranians are somehow unbalanced psychopaths.…more

Rights Activists Meet with Egyptian Chief of Intelligence to Discuss the Human Rights Situation in Egypt
03/10/2011 – Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies

On Wednesday 28th of September 2011, human rights activists Ahmed Seif al-Islam Hamad, Bahey eldin Hassan, and Khaled Ali Omar met with General Murad Muwaffi, Chief of Egyptian General Intelligence. The meeting was also attended by other national figures.

The human rights activists accepted the invitation to the meeting given the deteriorating human rights situation in the country, which requires a dialogue on the means to achieve reform and the best ways to make a clean break with repressive practices. In pursuit of improving the human rights situation, human activists attempt all necessary means, particularly official channels.

General Muwaffi provided an overview of the regional and international realities in which Egypt exists since the revolution, and expressed his interest in learning the views of the attendees, stating that his role is the careful communication of this discussion to Field Marshall Hussein Tantawi.

The attending human rights activists raised the followed observations and recommendations:

• The activists warned of the dangers of the current race to the power in Egypt and demanded swift democratic parliamentary and presidential elections, followed by an immediate handover of authority to those who would be elected by the Egyptian people.
• The activists recommended to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF)
• To abstain from involvement in the daily executive matters until elections are convened.
• To refrain from unilateral decision making and to establish an advisory council composed of civilians to operate with a clear mandate.
• To invest the ministerial cabinet and the Prime Minister with full executive authority, and to form a new cabinet with a new Prime Minister who has vision and political will to move out of the impasse.
• To put an end to the State of emergency and to end the referral of civilians to military trials.
• To issue an amnesty for the youth and other political activists that have been sentenced by military courts.
• The rights activists also requested the authorities:
• To issue the legislation on trade union freedoms.
• To ease the conditions for the establishment of political parties by reducing the number of founding members to 1000 persons only.
• To amend the Labor Law in a way that ensures security to workers, and protects them from arbitrary dismissal.
• To establish, without delay, a minimum and a maximum wage in order to minimize gaps of income.
• To provide permanent employment contracts to temporary workers of government agencies who have been employed (on short term contracts) for at least three years.
• To include the government’s so called ‘private funds’ in the State’s budget.
• To separate pension funds from the Finance Ministry and suspend legislation 135/2010, which is due to enter into force as of January 2012.
• To abide by court rulings and to half all delays by the authorities and public institutions in their enforcement, particularly the rulings that have invalidated privatization contracts and the sales of state-owned lands.
• To reject all pressures to amend the Tenders and Auctions Law, and to ensure accountability for those involved in drafting privatization contracts and the sales of State-owned lands.
• To adopt a plan for the revival of public-sector companies.
• To carry out international campaigns to clarify the court rulings that have rendered privatization contracts void, in response to the campaigns that have been led by businessmen that described these ruling as a return to nationalization; to expose the corruption in these deals and the elements that guided the Egyptian judiciary in its ruling.
• To dismiss the Public Prosecutor, his deputy, and the head of the State Security Prosecution.
• To investigate all cases of corruption related to the privatization process and the sale of State-owned lands, and to refer those involved to criminal courts. This is an essential step to increase Egypt’s chances in winning the claims expected to be filed by investors to courts of arbitration.
• To issue the Law of Judicial Authorities as approved by the Supreme Council of Judicial Authorities and its general assembly, without amendments from the SCAF.

The rights activists underlined that their observations represent a basic vision, and that their recommendations are basic steps that must be taken without delay, on any pretext or grounds, in order to bring tangible change to the human rights situation in Egypt. There remain many other steps and long-term institutional reforms that are necessary to give root to a human rights culture and make a clean break with repressive practices. …source

[cb editor: as Eric Holder’s “foiled plot” fades into the ether one has to ponder WTF? How it is that the Obama administration has given the plot little more thought than media grand standing, when in fact, had the allegations had any substance we would be staring at an incident that stands on par with the attacks on the trade towers – which launched the US into two wars, one that is now the longest running in US history. Mr. President, a bit of advice, fire that dumb-shit Eric Holder, you’ll be doing the world a favor. And while your at it could you get rid of Hillary? …all that running around and so little result, another WTF? Holder’s “plot” seems to have stumped even the Iranians. They best they can can up with is it must be some sort of diversion???]

Iran Claims Terror Plot Accusation Is Diversion by U.S.
By ERIC SCHMITT and SCOTT SHANE – Published: October 12, 2011 – NYT

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration on Wednesday sought to reconcile what it said was solid evidence of an Iranian plot to murder Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States with a wave of skepticism from some foreign leaders and outside experts. Senior American officials themselves were struggling to explain why the Quds Force, an elite international operations unit within Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, would orchestrate such a risky attack in so amateurish a manner. But armed with evidence such as bank wire transfers and intercepted telephone calls and with knowledge of how the covert unit operated in the past, American officials said they believed that Iran’s senior leaders were complicit in the plot.

“It would be our assessment that this kind of operation would have been discussed at the highest levels of the regime,” said a senior American official, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the government’s analysis. American officials offered no specific evidence linking the plot to Iran’s most senior leaders. But they said it was inconceivable in Iran’s hierarchy that the leader of the shadowy Quds Force, Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, was not directly involved, and that the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was not aware of such a plan.

Iran’s leaders marshaled a furious formal rejection Wednesday of the American accusations, calling the case a cynical fabrication meant to vilify Iran and distract Americans from their severe economic problems, highlighted by the Occupy Wall Street movement. A senior member of Iran’s Parliament, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, said he had “no doubt this is a new American-Zionist plot to divert the public opinion from the crisis Obama is grappling with.” …more

30 jailers punished for inmate beatings, report says
Sheriff’s Department watchdog releases study on inmate abuse. Sheriff Baca plans to install more video cameras in jail to document misconduct
By Jack Leonard and Robert Faturechi – Los Angeles Times – October 13, 2011, 5:06 p.m

In the last two years, Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials have disciplined more than 30 jail employees for beating inmates or covering up the abuse, according to a report from the agency’s watchdog obtained by The Times.

Other deputies “get away” with unnecessary force against inmates because “they craft a story of justification … which may be impossible to disprove,” according to the report by the Office of Independent Review, which monitors discipline in the Sheriff’s Department.

The report comes in response to growing allegations of inmate abuse inside the nation’s largest jail system and has been released as the FBI investigates several cases of potentially criminal misconduct by deputies.

The report documents a dozen cases in which deputies were either fired or suspended in connection with inmate beatings. But those who were punished may be only a fraction of those who actually used excessive force. Investigations into excessive force, especially those that involve relatively minor injuries to an inmate, can be “lackluster, sometimes slanted and insufficiently thorough,” the report said.

The report by Michael Gennaco, who heads the Office of Independent Review, is expected to be made public Thursday. But even as the watchdog circulated his findings, department officials revealed Wednesday that several more deputies not mentioned in Gennaco’s report had just been disciplined in connection with the beating of an inmate. …more