Posts from — April 2014

Bahrain’s Grand Prix: another opportunity to stifle dissent
By: Chloé Benoist – 5 April, 2014

On Sunday night, Bahrain will celebrate its ten-year anniversary as a Formula One host country. The event has been touted as a moment of national pride and unity, but the glamor and rumbling motors of the race have become yet another sinister excuse to quash Bahraini dissent.

Under the slogan “UniF1ed,” Bahrain has turned the Grand Prix into a propaganda tool to burnish its image on the international stage as a peaceful modern country.

But this image is threatened by the reality of three years of state repression against dissent, which has killed close to 100 protesters and jailed hundreds of opposition members.

Formula One, one of the world’s most lucrative sports, has become a battleground between Bahraini activists seeking to raise international awareness of their plight and the government trying to silence them.

“Who benefits from the Formula One race? The ruling family,” Bahraini activist Nedal al-Salman told Al-Akhbar. “We want to show what is really happening.”

Since the cancellation of the Bahraini Grand Prix in 2011, in the early moments of the uprising, the monarchy has intensified its campaign to clamp down on protests every year ahead of the Formula One races, and 2014 seems to be no exception.

“Every year before the Formula One race, there is a huge crackdown on protesters, with arrests, collective punishment, house raids, injuries and even protesters being killed by the police,” Yousif al-al-Muhafda, head of the documentation unit of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, said.

But this image is threatened by the reality of three years of state repression against dissent, which has killed close to 100 protesters and jailed hundreds of opposition members.
“They don’t allow protesters to go out in the streets so journalists can’t see them,” he added. “Some villages are even surrounded with barbed wire. The crackdown started in January this year, and we documented 500 people getting arrested since.”

Journalists have been barred from covering protests in the country in further efforts to strangle the opposition, said Salman, who is also involved with BCHR and helps journalists access opposition sources.

At least two journalists who cover Bahraini protests have been arrested in the past two months, the Committee to Protect Journalists said, who added that Bahrain has one of the highest number of incarcerated journalists per capita, second only to Eritrea. Three reporters have been killed since the beginning of the uprising, and numerous others have been injured or otherwise intimidated into silence.

“This year we’re a bit careful, because we are worried that we might be punished,” Salman said.

Meanwhile, Formula One’s president, Bernie Ecclestone, has played dumb in regards to the human rights violations in Bahrain. …more

Jordanian Police: 499 policemen are costing Bahrain 1.8 million dollar per month
3 April, 2014 – Bahrain Mirror PDF HERE

Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): Bahrain Mirror reached important documents that assure the existence of about 499 Jordanian policemen in Bahrain whose financial allocation mounts to approximately 700000 Bahraini Dinar monthly (about 1.8 million dollar).

The documents issued by the Bahraini Ministry of Interior on February 11, 2014 and fully published by “Bahrain Mirror” unveil the names, salaries and bank accounts numbers of all policemen found in Bahrain. These documents also show that these names were merged within the ministry staff.

Moreover, these critical documents signed by the finance affairs manager related to the Ministry, Khaled Abdullah Ali Almoaili, reveal that transferring the police’s salary happens via Arab Jordan Bank, where the salaries are asked to be paid to those “attributed to the Ministry” who appear to be of the blood of known Jordanian families.

The average salary for each policeman stands at 1200 Bahraini Dinar (about 31000 Dollars)

This new information refutes the announcements of the Jordanian Minister of State for Information Affairs, Official Spokesman of the Jordanian Government, Mohammed Hussain Al-Moumini, who said yesterday on Tuesday, April 1 that “the Jordanian policemen are found in Bahrain for training purposes and for qualifying the Bahraini policemen.”

A letter dated on February 11, 2014 holding the number “A-M-4-6-361” under the title of “Dues to those attributed to the ministry” states that: “enclosed, you will find payment returns of 699.604.073 Dinar (Six hundred ninety nine thousand six hundred four dinar and thirty seven fils) as salaries for February 2014 for those attributed to the ministry.”

These documents states that “the number of accrued persons is 499 one”. All of the names are enclosed within the letter.

This number does not include all the Jordanian security members found in Bahrain, but only those who have been recently recruited.

Another letter holding the same date and the number “A-M-4-6” notices that the dues transferring is conducted through the “National Bank of Bahrain” to the “Arab Jordan Bank” which opened bank accounts to all the Jordanian policemen within “Special arrangements regarding this issue”, as stated in the letter.

Before considering that “the Jordanian policemen existence had nothing to do with the Bahraini crisis”, the Minister of State for Information Affairs, Sameera Rajab, affirmed during a lecture in Jordan on Tuesday that the Jordanian policemen are found in Bahrain pursuant to a security agreement. Ms. Rajab also underlined that “arrangement and security cooperation with an Arab state is better than that with a foreign one”. …source

When CIA Tortured Detainees to Death — And Agents Escaped Accountability and Were Promoted
By: Kevin Gosztola – 2 April, 2014 – FDL

There is not much being reported about CIA torture, as detailed in the major report by the Senate intelligence committee, that has not been reported previously. However, there has been no accountability, and the struggle between CIA and Senate over the report and what parts will be declassified for the public to read offers an opportunity to reckon with some of the horrific acts that were committed.

McClatchy Newspapers spoke with some sources for a story on the contents of the report and was apparently able to confirm that “the CIA’s own internal documents confirm the agency’s culpability in the hypothermia death of one Afghan captive.” The CIA has never had to publicly discuss the incident, even though in 2009 the Justice Department under President Barack Obama opened an investigation into what happened.

As summarized by Larry Siems in The Torture Report: What the Documents Say About America’s Post-9/11 Torture Program, a young agent named “Matt, “a former Naval intelligence officer who joined the CIA and was put in charge of an operation for which he had no experience or training.” At the Salt Pit prison in Afghanistan, he ordered a captive named Gul Rahman to be “dragged around his concrete cell, doused with water and left shackled overnight.”

The temperature plummeted. Rahman, who was in the cell all night half-naked, was found dead. This happened despite the fact that Matt knew the prison was in need of heaters, which he had requested from the CIA’s Afghanistan station chief.

A report by CIA inspector general John Helgerson faulted the agency for “fail[ing] to provide adequate staffing, guidance and support to those involved with the detention and interrogation of detainees.” This report called attention to the poor judgment of Matt and the role of Paul, a CIA station chief in Afghanistan. And Helgerson also recommended that Rahman’s death be “referred to the Justice Department for prosecution.”

However, the Department’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) refused to prosecute insisting that a “declination memorandum” protected Matt from prosecution because he had no “specific intent.” The memo by Jay Bybee explained that, as manager of the Salt Pit site, if Matt “did not intend for Rahman to suffer severe pain from low temperature in his cell, he would lack specific intent under the anti-torture statute.”

John Sifton, an attorney and private human rights investigator, wrote for Slate, “The declination memo ‘regarding Gul Rahman’s death” was essentially an after-the-fact blessing for Rahman’s killer, in the form of a memo stating that DoJ would not prosecute the officers responsible.”

The Justice Department’s Criminal Division “provided declinations in cases of detainee abuse, thus giving individual officers de facto immunity from criminal prosecution.” Even if the Justice Department wanted to prosecute under Obama, this declination could be cited by defense counsel “as a partial shield.” (Sifton suggested these “declinations” may have been issued as “after-the-fact-immunities” similar to pardons.) …more

Bahrain opposition calls F1 Grand Prix protests
AFP – 1 April, 2014 – Times of India

DUBAI: Bahrain’s influential Shiite opposition bloc Al-Wefaq and a more radical group have called separate rallies for Friday to protest the weekend staging of the Formula One Grand Prix in Manama.

Demonstrations have been held during the annual three-day Grand Prix event every year since 2011 by opponents of the ruling Sunni Al-Khalifa dynasty in an attempt to highlight pro-reform demands.

The protests, which first erupted in the wake of a Shiite-led uprising in February 2011, have at times been marred by violence but the race has never been affected.

They are mainly staged in Shiite villages surrounding Manama and away from the Sakhir F1 circuit in the capital’s south.

The Bahrain Grand Prix practice sessions begin on Friday ahead of Sunday’s race.

Al-Wefaq in a Tuesday statement urged its supporters to hold a rally on the main Budaya highway, four kilometres (2.5 miles) west of Manama, which links several Shiite villages.

Al-Wefaq’s peaceful rallies are usually tolerated by the authorities and rarely end with clashes.

But protests by supporters of radical cyber-group the February 14 Revolution Youth Coalition are more violent and often end with clashes between police and demonstrators armed with petrol bombs.

The February 14 group, accused by authorities of links to Shiite-majority Iran, called on its Facebook page for demonstrations Friday in the Al-Seef Junction area, west of Manama, under the slogan: “Stop the blood formula.”

Protests in Shiite villages surrounding Manama began earlier this week, with witnesses reporting masked demonstrators staging rallies chanting: “No, no to Formula 1” and “Down Hamad,” in reference to the king.

The rallies have been broken up by police firing tear gas and sound grenades, with protesters hurling petrol bombs and throwing stones, according to witnesses.

Public security chief General Tariq Hasan said Tuesday the authorities have taken “all measures and plans” to secure the April 4-6 Formula One event.

Police will deploy around the Sakhir circuit and along main roads leading to it, the official BNA news agency quoted Hasan as saying.

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of Bahrain’s hosting of the event, the race will this year take place at night.

Bahrain, home to the US Fifth Fleet, remains deeply divided three years after the Shiite-led uprising was quashed, with persistent protests sparking clashes with police, scores of Shiites jailed on “terror” charges and reconciliation talks deadlocked.

The International Federation for Human Rights says at least 89 people have been killed in Bahrain since the uprising began in February 2011. …source

Bahrain: Fears of renewed government crackdown ahead of Grand Prix
2 April, 2014 – Amnesty International

As the eyes of the sporting world turn to Bahrain’s Formula One Grand Prix this weekend, Amnesty International urges the country’s authorities not to quash peaceful protests surrounding the event.

The Formula One racing tournament is due to take place in Bahrain from 4-6 April. In previous years, the authorities have taken severe repressive measures against pro-reform demonstrators, activists opposed to the Royal family and human rights campaigners during the event.

“Bahrain’s authorities must not repeat past mistakes by restricting freedom of movement or crushing protests. The rights of people in Bahrain to peacefully to express their opposition to government policies and voice human rights concerns are legitimate and must be respected,” said Said Boumedouha, Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at Amnesty International.

Opposition activists calling for a boycott of the Grand Prix have already been branded “traitors” by the government. There are fears that the authorities may use recent unrest, including terror attacks on police, to justify imposing further restrictions during the Grand Prix, such as preventing people from leaving their villages and clamping down on peaceful protests.

During previous Grand Prix events, foreign and local journalists were barred from covering protests, with some deported from Bahrain for attempting to do so without permission.

“Rather than continuing to resort to security measures to deal with anti-government protests, Bahrain’s authorities should mark the Grand Prix by announcing concrete steps to address the dire state of human rights in the country,” said Said Boumedouha.

“Three years on from the 2011 uprising, Bahrain has seen only cosmetic changes and empty promises of reform. Arbitrary arrests, crackdowns on protests and torture in custody continue unabated. Using the Grand Prix to boost Bahrain’s public image is little more than a blatant attempt to gloss over mounting abuses with the hype of an international sporting event.”

Compounding ongoing abuses, there is also a complete absence of accountability for past violations, with a host of victims and their families still awaiting justice for killing and torture that occurred during previous Grand Prix events. …more

Syria accuses rebels of planning gas attack near Damascus
2 April, 2014 – By Michelle Nichols – Reuters

UNITED NATIONS: Syria is charging in a letter to the United Nations that opposition groups are planning a toxic gas attack in a rebel-held area near Damascus so they can then blame it on government security forces.

In a letter dated March 25 and circulated by the U.N. this week, Syria’s U.N. envoy, Bashar Ja’afari, said his government had intercepted communications between “terrorists” that showed a man named Abu Nadir was secretly distributing gas masks in the rebel-held Jobar area.

“The authorities also intercepted another communication between two other terrorists, one of whom is named Abu Jihad,” Ja’afari said. “In that communication, Abu Jihad indicates that toxic gas will be used and asked those who are working with him to supply protective masks.”

Ja’afari said in the letter addressed to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the U.N. Security Council that this information “confirms that armed terrorist groups are preparing to use toxic gas in Jobar quarter and other areas, in order to accuse the Syrian government of having committed such an act of terrorism.”

A senior Western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said of the Syrian intelligence: “I don’t give any credence to that.”

A United Nations inquiry found in December that sarin gas had likely been used in Jobar in August and also in several other locations, including in the rebel-held Damascus suburb of Ghouta, where hundreds of people were killed.

The inquiry was only looking at whether chemical weapons were used, not who used them. The Syrian government and the opposition have accused each other of using chemical weapons, and both have denied it. …more

Useful for reference in recognizing and exposing US/Western propaganda – which, given a comprehensive view of the world, is a ridiculously easy task.

Protesters The USA Supports, Protesters The USA Opposes, And Why
By Robert Barsocchini – 02 April, 2014 – Countercurrents.org

Current/Recent Protest movements the USA backs/funds/supports – US state/mass media obediently magnifies cartoonish US propaganda on these:

Venezuela – small minority protest, carried out with extreme violence (using wire for decapitations, etc.); democratically elected government; USA wants to restore traditional order of imperial domination over a subdued native population, for benefit of US companies/hegemony

Ukraine – minority protest, heavily integrated (approx. 30%) by fascist/Nazi parties who are specifically backed and endorsed by the US; End of 2013 Swiss poll finds Ukrainians consider USA the biggest international threat – 33% pick USA, while 5% pick Russia; fascist/Nazi parties backed by US likely committed mass murder against civilians (sniper attacks) to escalate violence; Ukrainian government was democratically elected, then overthrown with US-backing; US openly funds/supports current junta dictatorship, with fascist/Nazis in at least 6 major posts, including Defense, Media, and Education; junta dictatorship has since dictated major economic policy to benefit Western banks and US corporations, while impoverishing and de facto enslaving Ukrainian population

Syria – dynasty allied with non-US major powers; USA has been working to overthrow Syrian government since 1957 and install US compliant dictator, as US did in Iran, Brazil, Guatemala, Chile, etc.; US began current phase of process by training militants, starting in at least 2006, to be sent to overthrow Syrian gov.; US and US dictator allies such as the Saudis currently waging major war of aggression against Syria by proxy – the supreme international crime; approx. 150,000 people killed so far; That Syria is governed by a family dictatorship does not separate it from the many dictatorships heavily supported by Obama/the West; the difference is simply that Syria is non-US compliant, and is allied with non-Western major powers.

Libya – Obama carried out a blitzkrieg against Libya, illegally slaughtering 6,000 people instantly and leading to the slaughter of some 50-100,000 people, as the Al Qaeda linked “protest” forces, for which Obama regime provided air support, overran and destroyed the most prosperous African nation, reducing it to the US-favored state of helplessness and weakness (see Latin American examples above and below for why this state is favored by the USA)

Afghanistan – (not a protest movement, but a country overthrown by Obama/USA) Obama has massively increased US war against Afghanistan to fight back forces installed by the US in the 70s, 80s, and 90s (the Taliban), but opposed by the US in the late 90s once Taliban became uncooperative on US corporate energy projects. Obama/Hillary Clinton have since restarted/continued to pursue US energy projects through the second US-installed regime, and Obama is currently trying to keep US military there indefinitely

In each of the above cases, the USA wants to overthrow or has already helped overthrow the government, and install a US-compliant, or “client”, government. This is illegal and an act of war.
Current/Recent Protest movements the USA opposes/crushes: (US state/mass media obediently censors these events in support of maintenance of US-compliant dictatorships:)

Occupy – violently crushed by Obama, working closely with financial institutions

Currently : 500 person protest in New Mexico against police brutality violently crushed through police brutality; see here

Saudi Arabia – Obama backs Saudi Arabia as it crushes protests against decades-long dynastic theocratic dictatorship; In 2013, Obama sent Saudis 60.6 billion dollars of lethal weapons, some of them internationally banned, making this the biggest weapons shipment in US history; Saudi Arabia is one of world’s last absolute dictatorships; citizens have no human rights; it is the only country on planet where women are not allowed to drive cars.

Bahrain – Obama backs Bahrain as it crushes protests against decades-long dynastic theocratic dictatorship, which is slaughtering and torturing its own people as part of repression, including systematically torturing children, as reported by Amnesty Int’l; Obama continues to support and send weapons to Bahrain dictatorship.

Thailand – While backing Ukraine’s massively violent coup, which has used a wide array of weapons and destroyed numerous public buildings, US says of Thai people protesting US-backed dictatorship: “Violence and the seizure of public or private property are not acceptable means of resolving political differences.” Nice try.

Honduras – military overthrow of democratically elected popular government that was helping the population; Obama/Hillary Clinton/USA, alone on Earth, back the violent overthrow, which they want to restore traditional order of colonialist domination over native population, for benefit of US companies/hegemony; illegal junta, enjoying Obama backing, turns Honduras into murder capital of the world to repress protest, and restores traditional imperial subversion of population.

Paraguay – very similar to Honduras

Crimea – while backing unconstitutional, violent, fascist/Nazi led overthrow of elected government in Ukraine and formation of junta dictatorship, Obama/USA condemn and try to prevent (as Ukraine has done previously by force) Crimeans from voting to secede from Ukraine and re-accede into Russia, of which Crimea was a part for hundreds of years before 1954, when it was given to Ukraine by Soviets.

Ukraine – Obama opposes protests against illegal US-backed junta in Ukraine. Western media censoring.

Okinawa – Obama opposes protests, ongoing for decades, against US imperial bases imposed on Okinawa.

South Korea – Obama opposes protests, ongoing for decades, against US imperial bases imposed on South Korea.

Haiti – Obama backs Haitian government as it crushes protests by poor peasants who are being abused and depopulated from their lands by US-backed Haitian sweatshop dictatorship.

Egypt – Obama supported Mubarak 30-year fascist dictatorship for as long as possible, refusing to even allow him to be referred to as a dictator; USA then backed mass-violent overthrow of elected government that followed Mubarak, and continues to support illegal junta as it slaughters thousands and sentences thousands to death.

Palestine/world – Obama/USA continually increase aid to Israel as it slaughters Palestinian civilians, including with chemical weapons, tortures children (see ABC Australia doc) and ethnically cleanses and colonizes Palestine; the entire world opposes Israel/US actions, as expressed in every authoritative and legal body; for example, these actions are opposed every year since 1974 in the UN general assembly by virtually the entire world, and supported in virtual isolation by the US and Israel

Diego Garcia – Obama refuses to let Chagossians return to their homeland, as required by law; instead he has come up with a new, sleazy method for never letting them return home ; Obama prefers to use their island, which the US and Britain ethnically cleansed, as a center for murder and torture

In each of the above cases, the USA wants to maintain status quo/compliant dictatorship.

Conclusions: The obvious conclusion is that the USA/West is an anti-democracy; a violent military empire that supports anything it can get away with that will further its domination of the planet, and opposes anything that hinders its domination.

The USA has and will support any mass murderer/torturer/absolute theocratic dictator as he massacres his own people (as seen in several of the above, current cases), including in Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain, and will laughably condemn and target any entity that stands in its way, no matter how beneficial for and supported by a population (as in government of Venezuela), no matter how democratic (governments of Venezuela, Ukraine, Crimea), and no matter how innocent and spat on by the USA/West are the pitiful victims of US/Western imperial military brutality and terror (Diego Garcia, Syrians, etc.).

To further expand its network of murder and torture bases, the USA will commit mass murder and torture (Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan), and ethnically cleanse/depopulate land masses and exile entire peoples ( Diego Garcia , Palestine ).

Last note: Such behavior is not unusual, but the norm for the USA/West. USA has now overthrown, helped overthrow, or attempted to overthrow about 62 governments , most of them democracies. At least seven of these overthrows/attempts have been carried out by Obama, and five of those have been democracies.

Obama is currently further encircling Russia, China, and Iran with trained killers and killing machines, and re-covering Africa in an imperial military web, including by supporting militants implicated at the UN for mass rape .

US-backed forces in Africa have, since 1994, killed nearly 10 million people. …source

On the New Face of 21st Century Neo-Fascism
Left-White Solidarity?
by AJAMU BARAKA – 2 April, 2014 – counterpunch

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” – George Santayana

Some years ago Italian anarchist Camillo Berneri suggested that while not always visible in the social practices of everyday European life, the racist foundation for European fascism was still present, safely confined to a space in the European psyche but always ready to explode in what he called a racist delirium.

Today, white workers and the middle classes in Europe and the U.S., traumatized by the new realities imposed on them by the decline of the Western imperialist project and the turn to neoliberalism, are increasingly embracing a retrograde form of white supremacist politics.

This dangerous political phenomenon is developing in countries throughout the European Union and in the U.S. Just recently, the National Front, a racist, authoritarian party that labored on the fringes of French politics for years, has emerged as one of the dominant forces in French politics. The Tea Party in the U.S., Golden Dawn in Greece, the People’s Party in Spain, the Partij Voor de Vrijheid in the Netherlands – in these and other countries, a transatlantic radical racist movement is emerging and gaining respectability.

The hard turn to the right is not a surprise for those of us who have a clear-eyed view of Euro-American history and politics. In all the 20th Century fascist movements in Europe, two elements combined to express the fascist project: 1) the rise of far-right parties and movements as the political expression of an alliance of authoritarian, pro-capitalist class forces bankrolled by sections of the capitalist class and constructed in the midst of capitalist crisis; and 2) racism grounded in white supremacist ideology.

The neo-fascism that is now emerging within the context of the current capitalist crisis on both sides of the Atlantic has similar characteristics to the movements of the 1930s but with one distinguishing feature. The targets for racist scapegoating are different. The targets today are immigrants: Arab, Muslim and African in Europe; Latinos and the never-ending target of poor and working class African Americans in the U.S.

What makes the rise of the racist radical right even more dangerous today is that it is taking place in a political environment in which traditional anti-racist oppositional forces have not recognized the danger of this phenomenon or for strategic reasons have decided to downplay the issue. That strategy has been tragically played out in the “immigrant rights” movement in the U.S.

The brutal repression and dehumanization witnessed across Europe in the 1930s has not found generalized expression in the U.S. and Europe, at least not yet. Nevertheless, large sectors of the U.S. and European left appear to be unable to recognize that the U.S./NATO/EU axis that is committed to maintaining the hegemony of Western capital is resulting in dangerous collaborations with rightist forces both inside and outside of governments. …more

Ruling could reveal elusive Florida family’s terror links
By Dan Christensen and Anthony Summers – BrowardBulldog.org – 31 March, 2014

A federal judge Monday ordered the FBI to conduct a more thorough search of its vast files to identify documents about its once secret investigation of terrorist activity in Sarasota prior to 9/11.

Fort Lauderdale U.S. District Judge William J. Zloch’s order also rejected a request by the Department of Justice to throw out the Freedom of Information case filed by BrowardBulldog.org in September 2012. Justice has argued that the release of certain information about the matter “would reveal current specific targets” of national security investigations.

The suit alleges the government has improperly withheld information about a local Saudi family’s apparent connections to terrorists, including 9/11 hijack pilot Mohamed Atta and Adnan Shukrijumah, the former Broward resident and alleged al-Qaeda figure who has a $5 million federal bounty on his head.

“This is a huge step in the right direction,” said Miami attorney Thomas Julin, who represents the 4-year-old news organization. “The decision tells the FBI that this federal judge wants to make sure that the truth comes out.”

In his four-page order, Zloch said he would issue a separate order detailing steps the FBI must take to comply with his order requiring the additional records search.

BrowardBulldog.org asked the court in July to compel the additional document search. The suit was filed after the FBI denied the news organization’s record requests under the Freedom of Information Act.

Six months after the suit was filed, the bureau unexpectedly released 35 heavily redacted pages, including four pages that were completely blanked out, and asserted it had no more responsive documents to produce. The declassified pages contradicted earlier public statements by FBI agents in Sarasota and Miami that the decade-old investigation had found no evidence of terrorist activity.

In his order, Zloch noted the government has provided him with un-redacted copies of those pages “for the court’s inspection.” Whether that information played a role in the judge’s decision is not known

The Miami Herald and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, in a friend-of-the-court brief filed in support of the lawsuit last week, argued to the court: “The Broward Bulldog has provided this court with ample evidence establishing that the FBI could not have possibly conducted adequate [record] searches.” …more

Saudi arrests three over online criticism
31 March, 2014 – Shia Post

Saudi Arabia has arrested three people who had criticized corruption in the country and called for an improvement in their living standards in online videos.

Activists said on Sunday that the Saudi authorities arrested the three on Saturday.

A young man, who identified himself as Abdulaziz Mohammed al-Dosari, posted a 30-second video on video-sharing website YouTube, saying that he earns a low income and does not have a house or a car.

“We are fed up, and you still blame those who carry out bombings,” he said, asking Saudi King Abdullah to spend money in the country to improve lives.

“Give us our money… We do not want to beg… You and your children are playing with this money,” he added.

The second video was posted by a man who said he was named Abdullah bin Othman. He said in the video that “corruption is widespread” in the kingdom while people “are hungry and oppressed.”

Othman called on people to post their comments online so that “our voices could reach the king.”

In the third video, a man, identifying himself as Saud al-Harbi, said that many people need “housing” and “a decent life.”

“Please listen to us. We want housing, we want a decent life. Do not force people to take to the streets,” he said.

Earlier this month, an online activist was jailed for 10 years after being convicted of ‘insulting Saudi leaders’ and calling for anti-regime demonstrations.

Riyadh has strictly banned any gatherings across the kingdom.

Activists say there are over 30,000 political prisoners in Saudi Arabia. …more

Obama weighs new aid for Syria terrorists; sets joint military plan with Saudis
29 March, 2014 – Shia Post

The United States is considering allowing shipments of portable air defense systems to Syrian opposition groups, a U.S. official said Friday, as President Barack Obama sought to reassure Saudi Arabia’s king that the U.S. is not taking too soft a stance in Syria and other Mideast conflicts.

A Washington Post report said Saturday that the U.S. is ready to step up covert aid to Syrian armed groups under a plan being discussed with regional allies including Saudi Arabia.

The plan includes CIA training of about 600 Syrian opposition forces per month in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Qatar, foreign affairs columnist David Ignatius wrote on Thursday. That would double the forces currently being trained in the region.

The Obama administration was debating whether to use U.S. Special Operation forces and other military personnel in the training, something Syrian mercenaries have argued would carry less political baggage than the CIA, according to the column.

The Obama administration has been criticized by some in Congress for failing to do more in Syria, where 140,000 people have been killed so far, millions have become refugees and thousands of foreign gunmen have been trained since 2011.

Washington was also considering whether to provide the armed opposition with anti-aircraft missile launchers, known as MANPADS, to stop President Assad’s air force, the column said. Saudi Arabia wanted U.S. permission before delivering them, it said.

The plan, which was still being formalized, also called for vetting of opposition forces for “extremist links” during and after training, according to Ignatius.

Qatar has offered to pay for the first year of the program, which could cost hundreds of millions of dollars, according to the column. The program would try to stabilize Syria by helping local councils and police in areas not under Assad’s control and seek to establish safe corridors for humanitarian aid, it said.

Saudi rulers are hoping for the United States to shift its position on support for Syrian armed opposition, whom Riyadh has backed in their battle to oust President Bashar al-Assad. …more

ISIS seizes town from Nusra in Hassakeh province
31 March, 2014 – The Daily Star

BEIRUT: Militants from the Al-Qaeda splinter group ISIS have taken over the town of Markada in Hassakeh province in fighting with the Nusra Front and other Islamist militias, according to pro-opposition media and an activist group. The reports said that a local commander of ISIS, a Turkish national, was killed in the fighting, which claimed the lives of five ISIS fighters and approximately 40 Nusra Front members.

The town lies on the highway linking the cities of Hassakeh and Deir al-Zor.

ISIS is engaged in fighting against the Nusra Front and its allies, as well as a separate campaign against the YPG Kurdish militia.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Saturday that it could confirm at least 16 ISIS fatalities in the infighting, while the other side’s losses remained undetermined.

Also in Hassakeh province, the Kurdish YPG wrested control of a village, Jazaa, from ISIS, which suffered at least 14 fatalities during three days of fighting.

In Raqqa province to the east, where ISIS enjoys its strongest presence in the country, the Observatory said the group alerted residents via minarets in the town of Raqqa to “open their windows and open up closed places” as the group was planning to carry out the second stage of the demolition of a local shrine. …more

Salman says int’l soft policy towards Bahrain prolongs the crisis
29 March, 2014 – Shia Post

Al Wefaq secretary general Sheikh Ali Salman delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of Al Wefaq’s General Conference in Sar, where thousands of Bahrainis gathered on Friday evening. He began by saluting the people for their sacrifices and agonies for the sake of freedom and justice to Bahrain.

He strongly denounced the nonstop brutal measures against the peaceful prodemocracy struggle that has been taking place in Bahrain since February 2011.

Salman called on the masses gathered in Sar to join the opposition’s mass peaceful march on Friday 4th April.
He reiterated condemnation of all forms of violence from any side. He said the Authority is responsible for the start and continuation of violence because it is refusing the legitimate demands of the people and strangling freedoms with systematic repression against dissidents.

The opening ceremony in Sar was to be followed by Al Wefaq’s general conference to discuss the annual closing reports and elect half of its Shura Council members. However, the Bahraini Authorities have banned the event in Sar. Salman called on Al Wefaq members to attend the event in the headquarters despite the arbitrary ban.

In regards to the opposition’s position from the coming parliamentary elections, Sheik Ali Salman said if the situation remains as it is and no agreement is reached on a constitution draft for a real reform than the opposition’s only option is to continue its demands for real democratic transition.

Salman highlighted the main problems in the ruling system disapproving the unelected Government and upper house Shura Council, as well as the blatant gerrymandering in constituencies.

Salman said “The opposition parties, including Al Wefaq, believe in genuine dialogue and negotiations as a humanitarian and rational way to reach solutions. And we have always showed our readiness for this, however, we, our people, and the world have found that the Bahraini Authority lacked honesty and seriousness to engage in such dialogue”.

“The repression continues on an escalating pace and some dialogue participators are being tried, like the assistant SG of Al Wefaq Khalil al Marzooq”, he added, “The hatred speech against the people has not stopped”.

He stated, ” The opposition and people of Bahrain are more aware today of the regime’s maneuvers by which it has attempted to circumvent the legitimate demands of the people through its mixture of superficial dialogues on one hand, and continuing to practice repression on the other hand”.

“We have seen nothing new since 2013, the Authority has shown no desire for real dialogue. The opposition is managing this issue with rationalism and taking all possibilities into consideration”, he went on. ” The opposition is with the principle of and always ready for real dialogue. Nonetheless, it will not allow for the people to be fooled again. We will not waive the just demands of our people under any threats, even if it meant sending us to jail”, he stated.

He highlighted the active role of the Bahraini NGOs, teachers, journalists, workers, medics, tweeps, that advocate the people’s rights and legitimate aspirations despite all threats and repressive measures perpetrated by the authorities. …more

Embassygate in Bahrain Not the Fundamental Problem
31 March, 2014 – Brian Dooley – Huffington Post

The U.S. State Department Inspector General’s office has sunk the knife pretty deeply into U.S. Ambassador to Bahrain Thomas Krajeski. A report released last week alleged that his “failure to maintain a robust planning and review process has led to confusion and lack of focus among some staff members.” The report also claimed that “Management controls processes are weak across the board,” and “A lack of transparency in management policies exacerbates low morale.”

The report charges that Krajeski’s “belief that reactive ‘seat of the pants’ leadership works best in Bahrain’s challenging environment has left staff members who do not have access to him on a regular basis confused.”

The report from the 11-member team is nothing if not thorough, finding fault in all sorts of places, and making 74 recommendations, including that “Embassy Manama should adopt a policy that forbids drivers to put a car into gear until all passengers fasten their seat belts,” and that “Embassy Manama should implement and publish a policy restricting use of personally owned furniture and furnishings.”

I cannot assess whether Ambassador Krajeski is as poor a manager as the report suggests — I’ve only met him a few times, largely because I haven’t been allowed into Bahrain for over two years. But when we have spoken, he’s been refreshingly frank about the challenges he faces and more open to a candid discussion than many of his colleagues.

Yet some of the report’s most interesting findings are not about Krajeski’s performance, but the reality of the U.S.-Bahrain relationship and the functioning of the embassy. It states, for example, that “Embassy Manama has two Leahy Vetting officers, both in the political/economic section…. In 2012, the embassy vetted 308 individuals.” U.S. Leahy laws prohibit the Departments of State of Defense from providing military assistance to foreign military or police units believed to have violated human rights. It’s unclear from this report how many Bahraini security officials were denied U.S. support under this law. …more

International human rights organisations support terrorists, says Minister
31 March, 2014 – BNA

(BNA) – Minister of State for Information Affairs and the Government’s Official Spokesperson Sameera Ebrahim bin Rajab said that a major project is currently being implemented against the whole region, noting that Arab countries, be it those which went through changes, those expecting change or those which have overcome it, like Bahrain, admit that an organised and systematic plan, was prepared a long time ago, is staged against them.

In an Interview with Elaph online newspaper, the Minister of State said that the Arab media, including the Bahraini one, has not been up to the challenge as it lacked the needed infrastructure to face the sudden changes, stressing that the project was launched since the beginning of the new millennium, with the collapse of the two towers in New York.

“The process of changing the global system began in September 11, 2001, and since then the so-called ‘Islamic terrorism’ was created,” she explained, adding that the whole region came under attack and was blamed for the outbreak of terrorism because of lack of democracy claims.

The targeting of the ruling systems across the Arab world and the “exportation” of democracy to them started since 2001 and still continues. …more