Sunday, March 17, 2013

Bahrain warns U.S. embassy to butt out of crackdown on Shi'ites

http://www.geostrategy-direct.com/geostrategy-direct/secure/2013/03_20/3.asp

 

Bahrain warns U.S. embassy to butt out of crackdown on Shi'ites

NICOSIA — Bahrain has warned the international community against interfering with its war against Shi'ite insurgents.

The Foreign Ministry has warned foreign embassies in Manama not to interfere with Bahrain's domestic affairs amid the counter-insurgency drive against the Iranian-supported Shi'ite revolt.

In a statement on March 1, the ministry said Western embassies, particularly the United States, was violating protocol by organizing pro-democracy events.

"Authorities will not hesitate to take action in case any diplomatic activity contravenes the law," the Foreign Ministry said.

The Foreign Ministry said it was monitoring the activities of embassies in Bahrain to ensure that they don't violate national or international conventions. The government has been under pressure from Sunni parliamentarians to crack down on Western-sponsored activities meant to bolster the Shi'ite opposition.

Manama has been criticized by the Sunni minority for Bahrain's failure to quell the Shi'ite revolt. Prominent Sunnis cited daily attacks by what they termed Iranian-backed Shi'ite insurgents on police stations and highways.

"Shall we wait until Iran invades us and occupies our country?" Issa Al Nasser, a prominent Sunni cleric, asked.

Officials said the Shi'ite insurgents were exploiting civilian protests to attack police. They said the insurgents were hurling firebombs as they hid among the thousands of anti-government protesters, most of them deemed peaceful.

"There are lawbreakers who sneak inside protests and then resort to direct confrontation with police," Maj. Anas Al Shaiji, an Interior Ministry official, said.

 

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