STATUS OF BAHRAINI DETAINEES AT GTMO

S E C R E T MANAMA 000558 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, S/WCI E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/16/2015 TAGS: PREL KAWC OPDC BA SUBJECT: STATUS OF BAHRAINI DETAINEES AT GTMO REF: A. STATE 65586 ¶B. STATE 64400 ¶C. MANAMA 505 ¶D. STATE 57663 Classified by DCM Susan L. Ziadeh for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (S) Post delivered Ref A message on the status of Bahraini detainees at GTMO to the MFA via diplomatic note number 098 on April 11. Pol/Econ chief met with MFA Assistant Under Secretary for Coordination and Follow Up Shaikh Abdul Aziz bin Mubarak Al Khalifa April 13 to discuss the note and to deliver Ref B message concerning the upcoming Administrative Review Board (ARB) hearings for detainees Shaikh Salman Al Khalifa, Issa Al Murbati, and Juma Al Dosari. Shaikh Abdul Aziz said that he had already asked the Ministry of Interior to be in touch with the family of detainee Abdullah Al Noaimi (Refs C and D) and he would do the same for Al Khalifa, Al Murbati, and Al Dosari to determine if they had any new information to be included in the ARBs. (Note: Post passed to NEA/ARPI in November 2004 Ministry of Interior "Good Conduct" certificates and testimonials for all six Bahraini detainees. End Note.) He said he would deliver the updated information to us by April ¶22. ¶2. (S) Noting Ref B talking point about the government's willingness to accept responsibility for a returned enemy combatant, Shaikh Abdul Aziz said that the GOB was prepared to meet any USG requirements to get the detainees back to Bahrain. Members of Parliament were pressuring the government to do something to help the detainees. Commenting that "any change is for the better," Shaikh Abdul Aziz said that if the detainees were imprisoned in Bahrain, their families would be able to visit and provide them with small things to make them more comfortable. MONROE