REPLY TO BAHRAINI DIPNOTE ON DETAINEE SUICIDE

S E C R E T MANAMA 001704

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/21/2025
TAGS: PREL KAWC OPDC PTER BA
SUBJECT: REPLY TO BAHRAINI DIPNOTE ON DETAINEE SUICIDE
ATTEMPT

REF: STATE 210772

Classified By: Ambassador William T. Monroe. Reasons: 1.4 (b)(d)


1. (S) Embassy delivered reftel diplomatic note on Bahraini
detainee Juma Al-Dossary to the Foreign Ministry on November

20. In discussing the note with the Ambassador, Minister of
State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed Abdul Ghaffar commented on
the recent Washington Post article quoting American lawyers
who traveled to Guantanamo last week, met with Al-Dossary,
and described his condition to the press. He asked if, in
the future, it would be possible to advise the GOB in
advance when lawyers are traveling to Guantanamo to visit
Bahraini detainees. He also asked if it might be a good time
for a Bahrain government security team to visit Guantanamo
again and meet with the Bahraini detainees.


2. (S) Comment and action request: The Government of Bahrain
continues to struggle with the issue of how to manage the
detainee issue domestically. The issue continues to get
almost daily press play, including comments to the press by
the three returned detainees (and their supporters) about
their treatment at Guantanamo and the possibility that they
might try to sue the USG for the alleged torture and
humiliation they suffered, as well as reports from the
American lawyers about those still in detention (like last
week's Washington Post story on Al-Dossary). If possible, the
Embassy urges that we be given prior notification of visits
by the lawyers so that we can advise the government before
they talk to the press. Also, please advise if a visit by a
Bahraini security team would be advisable and welcomed at
this time.
MONROE