Saudi Arabia Releases Blogger after Year in Solitary Confinement
30 July, 2012 – POMED

Saudi Arabian authorities released a prominant blogger Saturday after spending more than a year in jail without charges. 35 year-old Nazir al-Majid was arrested last March joining anti-government protests in the mostly Shiite eastern province of Qatif. Rights activists last year launched an online campaign for al-Majid’s release after he went on a hunger strike to protest being kept in a solitary confinement.

The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) condemned the excessive force with which Saudi authorities have suppressed peaceful demonstrations in Qatif. Security forces fired on protesters Friday during a demonstration calling for the release of detainees. The ANHRI called on all those concerned with human rights in the middle east and the world to press the Saudi regime for the release of political detainees and to respect the freedom of opinion and expression.

Meanwhile, in neighboring Kuwait, royal family member Sheikh Meshaal al-Malek al-Sabah was arrested by state security police for posting political statements on Twitter opposed to the policies of the ruling family. Al-Sabah has stated his intention to run for parliament and expose political corruption among members if successful. Alarabiya reported the rights group, the Gulf Forum for Civil Societies, criticized the Sheiks arrest, saying he was arrested because of his courageous views that opposed the policies of the Kuwaiti ruling family.

Additonally, Simeon Kerr of the Financial Times wrote that Oman’s historic distance from the other Gulf states has enabled the state to avoid falling into the sectarian politics that has become common in the rest of the region. However, Kerr notes that in the face of growing unrest in Oman, Sultan Qaboos treads a delicate path. The sultan, he notes, “has pushed himself to the forefront of decision-making,” adding, “The sultan can no longer hide behind the transgressions of corrupt ministers: if the reforms fail, so does his legacy. …more

Israel’s Barak praises Obama security cooperation
31 July, 2012 – Al ALkhbar

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak praised US security cooperation under President Barack Obama as the best of any US administration in recent memory.

In an interview with CNN aired here Monday, Barak said Israel and the United States had their differences but the security relationship between the two countries is “extremely good, extremely deep and profound.”

While US support for Israel has been strong on both sides of the aisle, he said, “this administration, under President Obama, is doing in regard to our security more than anything I can remember in the past.”

“In terms of the support for our security, the cooperation of our intelligence, the sharing of sorts in a very open way. Even when there are differences,” he said.

Barak’s comments came after a high profile visit to Israel by Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney who seeks to portray Obama as soft on Iran.

They also contrast with the tension on display in the past between Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israel plays a major factor in US presidential elections, as both Democrats and Republicans compete for the powerful endorsement of the pro-Israel lobby in Washington.

Despite Jewish Americans only making up 2 percent of the population, the power of the pro-Israel lobby ensures continued, unwavering US support for Israel, even at the expense of US interests.

The US still provides $3 billion in annual aid to Israel – the largest recipient of US aid – despite an ailing economy and Israel’s appalling human rights record. …source

Syria daily says Iran ally has warned Turkey
30 July, 2012 – Agence France Presse

DAMASCUS: Syrian ally Iran has warned their common neighbour Turkey that it will meet a harsh response should Ankara carry out any strikes inside Syrian territory, a pro-Damascus daily reported on Monday.

“Any attack on Syrian territory will meet with a harsh response, and the Iranian-Syrian mutual defence agreement will be activated,” the Al-Watan newspaper said.

“Turkey has received very strong warnings in the past few hours and the following message — beware changing the rules of the game,” the paper added.

Iran is the closest regional ally of embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, but has also striven to keep good relations with Turkey even as the standoff over its controversial nuclear programme has deepened with other NATO member states.

Tehran has enjoyed close ties with Damascus since 1980 when the Syrian government took its side in its devastating eight-year war with now executed dictator Saddam Hussein’s regime in Baghdad, and has signed a series of defence pacts, including in 2006 and 2008.

But Ankara has been a leading champion of the more than 16-month uprising against the Assad regime and has given refuge to large numbers of army defectors, who have formed the kernel of a rebel army, as well as tens of thousands of civilian refugees.

Al-Watan cited an “Arab diplomat” as accusing Turkey of seeking to use its fears about the rebel Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which already enjoys rear-bases in the far north of Iraq, as a pretext to intervene in Syria.

“Ankara is preparing an agreement with Washington to intervene militarily in the Syrian (crisis), using the Kurdish card as an excuse,” the paper said.

“Turkey has agreed with the United States on a military intervention limited to the north of Syria, specifically the northern province of Aleppo, to pave the way for the creation of a safe haven guarded by the armed gangs.”

Turkish newspapers have reported that some Kurdish-majority regions of northern Syria have been flying the flag of Syria’s PKK ally, the Democratic Union Party (PYD), in what they have said is a deal with the Assad family’s government, which was a longtime backer of the Kurdish rebel group’s insurgency in Turkey.

…more

Bahraini cleric’s grandson, Sheikh Issa Qasim injured, arrested
Shia Post – 31 July, 2012

The grandson of senior Bahraini cleric Sheikh Issa Qasim has been arrested by security forces after he was reportedly injured.

Bahraini regime forces wounded Ali Sami Issa Qasim in Diraz village on the northwest coast of the kingdom on Monday, Bahraini opposition sources said.

Twenty-one-year-old Sami was transferred to an unknown place with an ambulance, witnesses said.

Sheikh Qasim is an outspoken cleric, who has repeatedly criticized the Manama regime for the brutal crackdown against protesters in Bahrain.

Sheikh Qasim believes that the regime cannot stop the protests by increasing the attacks, arresting people, and killing them.

Since mid-February 2011, thousands of anti-government protesters have been staging regular demonstrations in the streets of Bahrain, calling for the Al Khalifa royal family to relinquish power.

The anti-regime demonstrators hold King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa responsible for the deaths of the protesters during the popular uprising.

Saudi spy chief Prince Bandar assassinated, report says
Shia Post – 31 July 31, 2012

Saudi Arabian spy chief Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has been assassinated, a report says.

The Paris-based Voltaire Network confirmed the death of 63-year-old Prince Bandar on its website on Monday, citing unofficial sources.

The international non-profit organization, which publishes a free website (voltairenet.org) in eight languages, said that Prince Bandar was killed because of his role in the July 18 deadly bombing in Damascus.

The bombing killed at least four high-profile Syrian security officials, including Defense Minister Dawoud Rajiha and his deputy Assef Shawkat who was also President Bashar al-Assad’s brother-in-law.

However, there has been no confirmation or denial neither from Saudi officials nor from the Syrian government yet.

Bandar, who was Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States from 1983 to 2005, was named the kingdom’s Secretary General of the National Security Council in 2005. On 19 July 2012, he was appointed Director General of the Saudi Intelligence Agency by King Abdullah.

Many said his promotion was a reward for the role he played in organizing the attack in Damascus, the organization reported. …source

Ecuador asks Sweden to question Assange in London
31 July, 2012 – Al Akhbar

Ecuador has asked Sweden to take WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s testimony regarding accusations of rape and sexual harassment, in London, the South American nation’s top diplomat announced Monday.

“Our ambassador in Sweden has begun steps to ask the Swedish government to collect the statement of Mr. Assange where he is located, at the Ecuadoran embassy in London,” said Ecuadoran Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino.

Assange, 41, is seeking asylum in Ecuador to avoid his extradition to Sweden, where he is accused of sexual assault.

The WikiLeaks founder fears that from Sweden, he could subsequently be re-extradited to the United States to stand trial for espionage, on account of the trove of leaked US diplomatic cables and military logs that were published on his website.

“This is the request we have made in an effort to protect Mr. Assange’s life at all costs,” Patino added, joined at a press conference by Assange’s mother, Christine.

Christine Assange met with Patino Monday.

“I am sure the president and his aides will make the best decision in this case,” she told government website El Ciudadano.

Ecuador will respond to Assange’s request on August 12, Patino said, after the 2012 London Olympics.

“We will take decisions that do not affect our relations with Britain,” Patino said, explaining that Quito would be careful not to do anything that could interfere in any way with the Olympic Games. …source