Bahrain arrests 2 ex-Guantanamo Bay detainees on terror charges

[News_Editor]

MANAMA, BAHRAIN (BNO NEWS) -- Two Gulf citizens who were previously detained at the controversial Guantanamo Bay detention facility were arrested in Bahrain on Saturday on suspicion of preparing a terrorist attack, officials said on Sunday, but only few details were released.

The two men, whose identities and nationalities were not immediately disclosed, were arrested at a border station on the King Fahad Causeway when they tried to enter Bahrain from Saudi Arabia with forged passports. Both persons were also found to be carrying "a large amount" of money.

Bahrain's Interior Ministry said the men had previously been detained at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba, which is operated by U.S. forces and remains open despite U.S. President Barack Obama ordering its closure within 12 months in January 2009. And while 164 people remain imprisoned nearly five years later, only a handful of them are facing charges.

"The initial investigation revealed that the arrestees are former detainees of the Guantanamo detention center. They are suspected of plotting a terror act to jeopardize the security and safety of Bahrain," the General Director of Crime Detection and Forensic Science said. "The investigation continues to reveal more information."

The police official noted that the arrests came just days before Bahrain hosts the 32nd meeting of GCC Interior Ministers, but he did not say whether the suspects may have wanted to target the meeting. "Legal procedures are being taken to refer the case to the public prosecution," he added.

Security forces in the kingdom have been on alert since February 2011 when scores of people took to the streets to demand reform and the introduction of a constitutional monarchy, but they later began to call for the removal of the royal family. Bahrain is ruled by the Sunni Muslim al-Khalifa family, even though two-thirds of its population is Shiite.

In the weeks after the social unrest began, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait deployed their troops to Bahrain to reinforce a massive armed crackdown on the popular uprising. At least 35 people were killed during the initial protests, hundreds were arrested and thousands were injured in the government-authorized violence.

In November 2011, the Bahraini government admitted in a statement that it used 'excessive force' against pro-democracy protesters and mistreated detainees during protests. "We cannot condone mistreatment and abuses by our officials. There will be no impunity. All those responsible for abuses will be held accountable," the Bahrain Information Affairs Authority said at the time.

(Copyright 2013 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: [email protected].)

[Chicog]

Interesting. Coming in from Saudi with a load of cash means either it was either from a rich Saudi to fund anti-Shi'a operations, or from the Eastern Province Shi'a to fund anti-Sunni operations.

Their arrests suggest the latter, but their previous stay in the Cuban holiday camp suggests the former.

[Credo]

Apparently the counseling and rehabilitation portion of the program was not so successful.

[NeverSure]

Interesting. Coming in from Saudi with a load of cash means either it was either from a rich Saudi to fund anti-Shi'a operations, or from the Eastern Province Shi'a to fund anti-Sunni operations.

Their arrests suggest the latter, but their previous stay in the Cuban holiday camp suggests the former.

I'm out of "likes" for the day, so "like."

On another point, it is so noticeable that the 9/11 perps and Osama Bin Laden also came from Saudi Arabia. Bin Laden's father was a prominent and wealthy Saudi. I can never figure out where Saudi's loyalties (if any) really are.

With Bahrain being 2/3 Shiite but ruled by Sunnis, my knee jerk reaction is that it was your latter. Who knows.

[Chicog]

The Bin Ladin group are being paid billions to develop Mecca. There's no animosity between them and the Al Sauds over the actions of the black sheep of the family.

[simple1]

Interesting. Coming in from Saudi with a load of cash means either it was either from a rich Saudi to fund anti-Shi'a operations, or from the Eastern Province Shi'a to fund anti-Sunni operations.

Their arrests suggest the latter, but their previous stay in the Cuban holiday camp suggests the former.

I'm out of "likes" for the day, so "like."

On another point, it is so noticeable that the 9/11 perps and Osama Bin Laden also came from Saudi Arabia. Bin Laden's father was a prominent and wealthy Saudi. I can never figure out where Saudi's loyalties (if any) really are.

With Bahrain being 2/3 Shiite but ruled by Sunnis, my knee jerk reaction is that it was your latter. Who knows.

Stating the obvious, Saudis loyalties are with anyone who support the Sunni Wahhabi agenda / their dictatorship / assist with containing Shiite influence. Bin Laden ended up being an enemy of the Saudi dictatorship & Al Qaeda within KSA crushed or at least severely curtailed. At the same time Al Qaeda are supported by Saudis for offshore operations. All very grey & KSA rarely comes out in the open; the exception being the recent public disagreements with US regional policy & actions.

[Chicog]

All very grey & KSA rarely comes out in the open; the exception being the recent public disagreements with US regional policy & actions.

Is that a convoluted way of saying "cosying up to their arch-enemies"?

[simple1]

All very grey & KSA rarely comes out in the open; the exception being the recent public disagreements with US regional policy & actions.

Is that a convoluted way of saying "cosying up to their arch-enemies"?

yep & and other matters of contention

[coma]

They aren't the first to return to the battlefield upon release.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_former_Guantanamo_Bay_detainees_alleged_to_have_returned_to_terrorism

[Chicog]

Well I'd hardly call Bahrain a "battlefield", even if there are weekly civil disturbances by balaclava-clad teenagers pretending to be terrorists.

[rgs2001uk]

Interesting. Coming in from Saudi with a load of cash means either it was either from a rich Saudi to fund anti-Shi'a operations, or from the Eastern Province Shi'a to fund anti-Sunni operations.

Their arrests suggest the latter, but their previous stay in the Cuban holiday camp suggests the former.

I'm out of "likes" for the day, so "like."

On another point, it is so noticeable that the 9/11 perps and Osama Bin Laden also came from Saudi Arabia. Bin Laden's father was a prominent and wealthy Saudi. I can never figure out where Saudi's loyalties (if any) really are.

With Bahrain being 2/3 Shiite but ruled by Sunnis, my knee jerk reaction is that it was your latter. Who knows.

Stating the obvious, Saudis loyalties are with anyone who support the Sunni Wahhabi agenda / their dictatorship / assist with containing Shiite influence. Bin Laden ended up being an enemy of the Saudi dictatorship & Al Qaeda within KSA crushed or at least severely curtailed. At the same time Al Qaeda are supported by Saudis for offshore operations. All very grey & KSA rarely comes out in the open; the exception being the recent public disagreements with US regional policy & actions.

Al Jazeera recently did an excellent tv documentary called, The Seven Sisters,

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/specialseries/2013/04/201344105231487582.html

As for, "Saudis loyalties" that would depend on who you mean.

The royal family elected for oil wealth, giving the Wahhabists the hearts and minds of the followers of the religion of peace.

What makes me laugh, if OBL was an American, he would be called "The Patriot" fighting off the "Red Coats"

As for his father, I was always under the impression he was a Yemeni?

That area of the "Magic Kingdom" is also worthy of further investigation, probably one of the most lawless areas of KSA, where many dont even consider themselves to be Saudi, their loyalty lies with their clan, which is usually Yemeni.

[jamhar]

Well I'd hardly call Bahrain a "battlefield", even if there are weekly civil disturbances by balaclava-clad teenagers pretending to be terrorists.

The definition of battlefield have changed a bit.

to the arrested terrorists, I believe they did consider it a battlefield.

or it was about to become one.

[boomerangutang]

As 'enemy combatants' those two Gitmo alumni could have been shot the first minute they came in to contact with US forces - before they went to Gitmo. They should thank Allah and the Americans, every day, that they're still alive.

If their brethren had caught 2 US combatants during that war, you can bet those two would be statistics.