editor: The al Khalifa regime is apparently clueless or is so over confident in their brutal reign, they expect the good people of Bahrain to tolerate this atrocity and the continued detention of “freedom or death” hunger striker Alkhawaja’, suffering as he lay near death. It is incomprehensible why the regime would lure the F1 teams and it’s sponsors with lies of security, as the regime facilitates riotous conditions that that could well be far more dire than those during the Saudi invasion of March 2011. It truly seems the regime is agitating riotous conditions to occur on race day. Crash and burn King Hamad you arrogant mother fucker! Phlipn.

Bahrain: Activist found dead ahead of Grand Prix
BBC – 21 April, 2012

A man has been killed in Bahrain during overnight clashes with the security forces, activists say, a day before Sunday’s F1 Grand Prix.

Officials said an investigation had been launched after his body was discovered in a Shia village near the capital, Manama.

On Friday, tens of thousands took part in at times violent protests demanding an end to the crackdown on dissent.

The discovery came as practice and qualifying sessions for the Grand Prix were taking place. Mainly Shia protesters have announced “days of rage” against the race.

Formula 1’s governing body, the FIA, only went ahead with the Grand Prix after the government said it had security under control.

Last year’s Grand Prix was cancelled after 35 people died in February and March during a crackdown on mass demonstrations calling for greater democracy.

The protesters demand an end to discrimination against the majority Shia Muslim community by the Sunni royal family.

Human rights groups and activists estimate that at least 25 people have died since the start of the protests, many as a result of what has been described as the excessive use of tear gas.

Investigation
Activists from opposition group al-Wefaq named the man found dead on Saturday as Salah Abbas Habib, 37, and accused government forces of killing him.

An earlier unconfirmed report said the man had been found with gunshot wounds.

Chief of Public Security Major-General Tariq Al Hasan confirmed his body had been found in “suspicious circumstances” and said more details of the investigation would be released as they became available.

On Friday, Bahrain’s Crown Prince, Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, said cancelling the Grand Prix “just empowers extremists”, and insisted that holding the race would “build bridges across communities”.

Jean Todt, the president of the motor racing governing body, the FIA, said he had no regrets about the race, as extensive investigations into the situation in Bahrain had unearthed “nothing (that) could allow us to stop the race”. …more

The Formula One governing body has decided to press ahead with the Grand Prix in Bahrain, a country in a year-long uprising against brutal dictatorship. 20 April, 2012 – PressTV

INTERVIEW VIDEO HERE

Press TV has interviewed Colin Cavell, former lecturer at University of Bahrain, Austin, Texas about what is happening behind the scenes to enable the Formula One to go ahead in Bahrain. What follows is an approximate transcript of the interview.

Press TV: In Bahrain I’m sure you’re well aware Formula One is having its race there. Should the sponsors and the supporters of the Grand Prix be the ones to blame or Western governments associated to them like the UK, be the ones to blame in this case?

Cavell: There is blame to go around to a number of folks. Definitely, Bernie Ecclestone, head of the F1 is getting paid off royally. I just hope that he received his money in advance because the people are going to speak with one voice this weekend and they’re going to make sure that Formula One does not go as planned.

Western governments of course are responsible for supporting the al-Khalifas and indeed there’s tremendous guilt on the part of the US State Department employees and on the part of the US president and in fact on the part of all Americans. We are appalled to be supporting a tyrannical monarchy like the al-Khalifas.

If we weren’t addicted to oil in the Middle East we would not be in this position, but we are in a very bad position and the US acts with guilt in carrying out its support for the al-Khalifas.

Press TV: We just heard words from UK Prime Minister David Cameron talking about a reform process underway in Bahrain. What reform is he talking about?

Cavell: David Cameron is talking about pulling the wool over peoples’ eyes. There is absolutely no reform in the Kingdom of Bahrain. It is an attempt at obfuscation. In other words, a show of lights to make people think there is something going on to change the situation, but there is absolutely no change going on.

The regime is still torturing people, still jailing people, still killing people; they have no political legitimacy; they have no moral legitimacy. Indeed, the regime is dying in decay; all it needs is a wind to blow it away. And the people of Bahrain are that wind.

Press TV: I know that in the US if you have a celebrity who is caught for just something minor, in the case where there is a sponsor behind them, that celebrity is disqualified from representing that company.

Yet here we have all these major corporations from around the world going through with this on an island that’s being cited for human rights violations for the past year not to mention all the different types of violations of human rights taking place.

Cavell: It’s blood money. The regime did not hold the Formula One last year and they are spending tons of money this year to try to tell the world that things have returned to normal. And of course they have not returned to normal. As Mr. Sadiq (another guest to the program) pointed out, sport is part of the political family.

That is to say, you are my brother, Mr. Sadiq is my brother. If I am invited over for a meal and I see dead bodies around the house I don’t say I’m just here to eat… No, I have to make a judgment and get involved and say what’s going on here?

And this is the responsibility of the drivers; this is the responsibility of the corporations; this is the responsibility of Bernie Ecclestone… They all have to take responsibility for what they are doing here – supporting a murderous tyrannical regime.

Press TV: Behind the scenes we hear about this 50 million dollar arms sales of military equipment that includes teargas, which was going to be sold, then they refrained from doing it because of some law that was brought up – I can’t recall – but then they are trying to push this through to get an approval to sell it in increments. So the US wants military equipment to be sold.

What is the stance of the US regarding Bahrain? Our guest in Detroit said to clarify their stance, but I think their arms sale kind of speaks louder than obviously words.

Cavell: Absolutely. They could not get through Congress a 50 million dollar arms sale so what they did was they decided to sell it in increments of less than a million dollars, which does not need Congressional approval.

So, it indicates that the US still wants to support this murderous tyrannical regime and it’s appalling. Most Americans would be appalled at what we’re doing if they knew what was going on, which is why the Western press is not covering our support for these dictatorships, for these monarchical tyrants.

F1 grand prix: Bahrain denies entry to journalists
Mark Sweney – guardian.co.uk – 20 April, 2012

Sky News chief correspondent among non-sport reporters refused access in attempt to stifle coverage of protests

Bahrain has denied entry to a number of journalists from news organisations including Sky, which holds the UK TV rights to broadcast this weekend’s controversial Formula One grand prix from the Gulf state, as the regime attempts to stifle coverage of political protests.

Bahrain’s authorities have granted permission for journalists who regularly cover Formula One to enter the country but have denied visas to other reporters from news organisations including Sky News, CNN, Reuters and the Financial Times.

Journalists who have been refused entry include Stuart Ramsay, chief correspondent at Sky News, who is being forced to file coverage from Dubai.

“Govt refuses to explain why I can’t come in,” Ramsay said on Twitter. “Govt welcomes f1 but not independent journalists who actually understand the complexity of this issue.”

Ramsay expressed his frustration in another tweet. “Lots of confusion sky tv is big sky news and sky sports and sky movies are all different I am news and all govts know this,” he said. “We are excluded without redress but have asked to represent all sides.” …more

Body found of a #Bahrain democracy activist! Last seen chased by police. He still has a gas mask on! #Ecclestone #f1 responsible his death

: Eye witness confirm that martyr Salah was taken at night & his body wasn’t there. It was brought today morning. #Bahrain

Friends of Salah said they are pretty sure that his body is full of shot gin pellets and torture marks #Bahrain #F1disgrace

Confirmed: Body of the young man “Salah” from AbuSaibai died due to Bird Shots..We’re being treated like
animals!

Red Bull’s double world champion Sebastian Vettel played down the trouble. “I haven’t seen anyone throwing bombs. I don’t think it’s that bad. I think it’s a lot of hype.”

Of course Red Bull’s, Sebastian Vettel had nothing to say about the bodies of protesters found murdered in the streets.