AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES SECURITY ISSUES WITH INTERIOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 001261 SIPDIS NOFORN DEPT FOR DS/IP/NEA, DS/IP/ITA, NEA/ARPI, S/CT E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2015 TAGS: ASEC BA PGOV PHUM PTER SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES SECURITY ISSUES WITH INTERIOR MINISTER SHAIKH RASHID REF: A. MANAMA 435 ¶B. MANAMA 484 ¶C. STATE 143881 ¶D. MANAMA 1152 ¶E. MANAMA 1036 ¶F. MANAMA 943 ¶G. MANAMA 885 ¶H. MANAMA 585 Classified By: Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) . ¶1. (SBU) Begin summary: The Ambassador advised Minister of Interior Shaikh Rashid August 24 that the USG had provisionally allocated USD 1 million in CT funding for Bahrain, particularly in support of the planned Joint Counterterrorism Center (JCTC),and needed to discuss proposals on how to use this money. The Ambassador noted USG concern with the level of force used by police in two demonstrations during the summer. Shaikh Rashid said that the police, provoked by the demonstrators, had in fact responded with restraint and contained the demonstrations without resorting to more drastic crowd control measures such as tear gas or rubber bullets. The Minister expressed concern about the situation in Iran and Iraq, and its potential impact on the region. End summary. -------------- -------------- JOINT COUNTER TERRORISM CENTER -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The Ambassador met on August 24 with Minister of Interior Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa to discuss several security related issues in Bahrain and to introduce newly-arrived RSO Keith Swinehart. The Ambassador began by discussing the Joint Counter Terrorism Center (JCTC), sometimes referred to as the Counter Terrorism Operation Center (CTOC),and reported that the State Department has advised post of the tentative approval of USD 1 million to support the stand-up the proposed JCTC in Bahrain (ref c). The funds come from the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense which provides support and assistance to key partners in the Global War on Terror (GWOT). To proceed, the Ambassador stated, we will need specific information on the proposed uses for these funds. ¶3. (SBU) Shaikh Rashid expressed his gratitude for the funding, welcoming this proposed new cooperation between our two governments in the area of counterterrorism. He stated that his staff continued the difficult and sensitive task of identifying senior and skeletal staff for the JCTC and were awaiting the return (in the next week or two) of General Abdul Latif Rashid Al-Zayani, the Chief of Public Security, to finalize proposals in the coming weeks. He asked that the RSO meet with General Al-Zayani as soon as possible to follow-up on the JCTC and the proposed funds. -------------- -------------- DEALING WITH DEMONSTRATIONS -------------- -------------- ¶4. (C) The Ambassador congratulated the Minister for his efforts in the development of the JCTC and emphasized the continued need to further develop a professional security force reflective of Bahrain's diversity. In that connection, however, he expressed U.S. concern over the level of force that was used in two demonstrations last summer in which some demonstrators were beaten. While it was recognized the protesters may have provoked the police actions, the security forces in fact played into the hands of the demonstrators, who were able to distribute pictures abroad of the bruised demonstrators, raising questions about Bahrain's commitment to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression. The Ambassador noted that Shaikh Rashid had met with Al-Wifaq leaders, including Shaikh Ali Salman, to discuss the role of Bahraini security forces at these recent political demonstrations and employment opportunities within the police and defense forces (ref d, e, f and g),and asked for the Minister's thoughts about the meeting. ¶5. (C) Shaikh Rashid called the meeting with Ali Salman highly successful and a positive step forward. He stated that it was important to deal with such issues in a fair manner without disrupting the security and stability of the country. Shaikh Rashid said that in general the scheduled and approved protests have been handled well, noting that there have been no mass arrests and in fact limited use of force. In the two cases where force was used, the police in fact performed with restraint. Given the close proximity of the protesters and security personnel, and the fact that injuries were sustained by police officials confronting a protest gathering not approved by the government, the police were simply forced to deal with the situation. The situation could have been much worse had the police resorted to use of tear gas or rubber bullets (which were not used). He added that while improvements can be made through increased training, we must understand the situation on the ground. -------------- -------------- CONCERNS OF EXTERNAL THREATS -------------- -------------- ¶6. (C) Shaikh Rashid asserted that at this point he was less concerned with internal events, which he believed were under control, than with external events. He observed that events in both Iraq and Iran had the potential to cause significant instability in the region and needed to be handled carefully. He was concerned that the continued uncertainty in Iraq ("we need to see results") and the potential threat posed by the Iranian nuclear program would have a negative impact on Gulf states, especially those with a large U.S. presence. He expressed concern about the new administration in Iran as well the growing Iranian influence in southern Iraq, believing the world was not receiving an accurate picture of the situation there. ¶7. (C) Shaikh Rashid stated Bahraini officials immediately enacted contingency plans in response to recent attacks against U.S. military interests in the Gulf of Aqaba. Emphasizing the importance of continued cooperation, he stressed the need to establish mechanisms for quicker exchange of intelligence within the region to handle potential threats in the future. The Ambassador agreed the regional situation was an evolving one and assured the Minister of the U.S. government's firm commitment to strong security cooperation between our two countries and our support for improved communication within the region. -------------- --- STATUS OF AN EXPAT SHELTER -------------- --- ¶8. (SBU) The Ambassador asked about the status of the GOB-supported shelter for expatriate workers in distress. Shaikh Rashid advised that his office continues to work with Minister of Social Affairs Al Belooshi on the establishment of the shelter. He understood that Minister Al-Belooshi was working on identifying a temporary facility to rent while a permanent site was built. The Ambassador reiterated the importance of moving forward on the shelter as quickly as possible, and urged that the Minister continue to give his full support for the shelter. MONROE