Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MANAMA1728
2006-09-28 13:42:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Manama
Cable title:
"BANDARGATE" REPORT ALLEGES SENIOR POWER BROKER
how-toVZCZCXRO3293 OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK DE RUEHMK #1728/01 2711342 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 281342Z SEP 06 FM AMEMBASSY MANAMA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5701 INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RHBVAKS/COMUSNAVCENT PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 MANAMA 001728
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/26/2016
TAGS: PGOV KDEM BA POL
SUBJECT: "BANDARGATE" REPORT ALLEGES SENIOR POWER BROKER
ATTEMPTED TO MANIPULATE POLITICAL SYSTEM
REF: A. MANAMA 1691
B. MANAMA 0907
C. MANAMA 0891
Classified By: Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
.
-------
Summary
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 MANAMA 001728
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/26/2016
TAGS: PGOV KDEM BA POL
SUBJECT: "BANDARGATE" REPORT ALLEGES SENIOR POWER BROKER
ATTEMPTED TO MANIPULATE POLITICAL SYSTEM
REF: A. MANAMA 1691
B. MANAMA 0907
C. MANAMA 0891
Classified By: Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
.
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. (C) A recently leaked report written by a former
strategic advisor for Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs
Shaikh Ahmed bin Attiyatallah Al Khalifa alleges that Shaikh
Ahmed engaged in a complex conspiracy to influence the
outcome of upcoming parliamentary elections in favor of
friendly Sunni candidates. In a 220-page report, consultant
and Gulf Center for Democratic Development Secretary General
Salah Al Bandar claims that Shaikh Ahmed distributed more
than BD 1 million ($2.65 million) to a range of government
employees, journalists, politicians, and activists to
manipulate the political system in favor of Sunni causes and
candidates. Al Bandar said he had distributed his report to
government officials, political society heads, and some
embassies, and planned to release it publicly until he was
arrested, interrogated, and deported to the UK on September
13. He was subsequently charged with espionage.
2. (C) Summary continued: Shaikh Ahmed issued a strong
statement September 24 denying and condemning Al Bandar's
accusations. Some members of parliament and political
societies have called for an independent committee to
investigate the claims, and columnists have faulted the
responses of Sunni politicians, the government, and those
named in the report. How the government plays its cards
between now and the elections, expected to be held in late
November, will have a big impact on Bahrain's reputation and
perceptions of the credibility of the elections. End Summary.
--------------
"Bandargate" Alleges Political Payoffs
--------------
3. (SBU) A recently leaked report written by (the
UK-registered) Gulf Center for Democratic Development (GCDD)
Secretary General Salah Al Bandar alleges that Minister of
SIPDIS
State for Cabinet Affairs Shaikh Ahmed bin Attiyatallah Al
Khalifa, who also serves as president of the Central
Informatics Organization and head of the Civil Service
Bureau, distributed more than BD 1 million ($2.65 million) in
a systematic effort to influence the outcome of the upcoming
parliamentary elections. A Sudanese-British national, Al
Bandar claims that Shaikh Ahmed created a network of
accomplices who assisted in funneling money from his personal
bank account to government employees, journalists, members of
parliament, parliamentary candidates, civil societies,
lawyers, bank employees, a Jordanian "intelligence" team, and
a member of the appointed upper house Shura Council. The
funds were distributed for various purposes, including
financing electoral campaigns, investigating political
opponents, carrying out press campaigns, defending the
government in international forums, and assisting Shia
"converts" to Sunni Islam.
4. (SBU) The report, quickly dubbed "Bandargate" by the
press and bloggers (who covered the controversy well before
the press picked it up),names several senior government
employees as Shaikh Ahmed's principal accomplices. Through
them, Shaikh Ahmed is alleged to have passed money to MPs and
candidates representing conservative Sunni political trends,
including the Asala (Salafi) and Minbar (Muslim Brotherhood)
political societies and independents such as hardline Salafi
Jassim Al Saeedi. (Note: Al Saeedi denies the accusation.)
The payment amounts cited in the report are not high, from a
few hundred to a few thousand dinars, but in some cases the
recipients received a continuing monthly retainer. The
politicians are presumed to have used the money to finance,
at least partially, their election campaigns. The report
publishes copies of the signed checks and bank statements.
--------------
A Jordanian Connection?
--------------
5. (C) The Jordanian intelligence team was charged with
collecting damaging information on opposition societies,
politicians and candidates. (Note: The Jordanian Ambassador
told the Ambassador that officials from Jordan's intelligence
service had assisted the Central Informatics Organization to
develop "smart" identity cards, commenting that the most
MANAMA 00001728 002 OF 004
technically adept Jordanian officials work in intelligence.
He said the GOJ had refused a very recent Bahraini request to
assist in working on the elections, saying there was not
enough time to do any serious work.)
--------------
Al Watan Newspaper Receives Funding
--------------
6. (SBU) The report asserts that Shaikh Ahmed assisted his
personal friend Hisham Abdul Rahman Jaafar establish the
daily Al Watan newspaper in mid-2005, including giving the
paper a subsidy of BD 100,000 ($265,000). Jaafar was
installed as chair of the board of directors and serves as
the paper's primary investor and owner. In a later article,
Al Watan reported that Shaikh Ahmed had recommended that
Jaafar hire Al Bandar as a strategic advisor during the
paper's start-up phase. Al Watan reported that Al Bandar was
fired, along with several Sudanese he had arranged to be
hired as reporters, following some unspecified problem. He
then was hired by Shaikh Ahmed to work at the Cabinet Affairs
Ministry, in October 2005.
7. (SBU) As reported Ref C, in May Al Watan launched highly
controversial press campaigns against the National Democratic
Institute (NDI) project in Bahrain and the U.S. Embassy. The
paper's reporting slant and editorial position (with one
prominent exception) is reflexively pro-Sunni and anti-Shia,
leaning even toward the Salafi perspective in many areas.
The Bandar report claims that Shaikh Ahmed gave the paper the
subsidy to help it get on its feet in exchange for promoting
this particular political line, making it a unique (and
discordant) voice within Bahrain's crowded press marketplace.
--------------
Meddling with Civil Society
--------------
8. (C) Al Bandar reports that Shura Council member and
founder of the Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society (and close
Embassy contact) Faisal Fulad took money from Shaikh Ahmed to
defend Bahrain in international forums. Fulad did attend the
UN Committee Against Torture session on Bahrain in Geneva in
the fall of 2005, arguing that oppositionists' claims did not
present a balanced perspective of the situation in Bahrain.
He also issued a glowing statement in the Human Rights Watch
Society's name on Bahrain's democracy in late August,
presumably to defend Bahrain against claims made by
oppositionists who delivered a petition critical of Bahrain's
record to UN Secretary General Annan in June. Human Rights
Watch Society Secretary General Houda Nonoo told Pol/Econ
Chief that at that time, Fulad had not consulted with her or
the Society board before issuing his statement. She
indicated that Fulad has not returned her calls since the
Bandargate story broke.
--------------
Al Bandar Consultant for Shaikh Ahmed
--------------
9. (SBU) Al Bandar had been employed as a strategic planning
advisor to the Cabinet Affairs Ministry, one of the
organizations Shaikh Ahmed heads, since October 2005. He
told the Akhbar Al Khaleej newspaper September 27 that he and
four other GCDD researchers began working on the report in
February, after fellow employees at the Ministry began
confiding in him about unusual activities in their offices.
The employees brought him pieces of evidence, leading to his
conclusion that there was a "secret organization outside the
rule of law" operating under Shaikh Ahmed. He compiled
hundreds of pieces of evidence, not all of which he included
in the final report, and finished a draft by August 20.
10. (C) Al Bandar said that he submitted the report by hand
to Bahraini authorities, political society heads, and the
U.S., UK, and German embassies in September. (Note: Embassy
PolOff met with Al Bandar September 7 at Al Bandar's request,
which had been forwarded by the British Embassy, to speak
with someone about the Gulf Center's activities. Al Bandar
passed us a copy of the report at that meeting. Prior to
this encounter, the Embassy had never dealt with nor heard of
Al Bandar, although his wife political activist Laila Rajab
is well known to us. The Embassy has not/not publicly or
privately acknowledged receiving the report nor have we
commented on press or other inquiries about our involvement.)
--------------
Arrest, Deportation, Espionage Charges
--------------
MANAMA 00001728 003 OF 004
11. (SBU) Al Bandar said that he had not received any
feedback from the government about his report and planned to
release it to the press on September 15. However, on
September 13 he was arrested, questioned, and deported to
London. He was subsequently charged with spying and harming
the interests of Bahrain and its people. He was quickly
labeled by Al Watan and others as being an agent working for
a foreign (read, British) intelligence service. The British
Embassy has dismissed any suggestions that Al Bandar worked
for the UK government. The British Ambassador told the
Ambassador that the GOB had informed him that the official
reason for Al Bandar's deportation was that his sponsor
(Shaikh Ahmed) had withdrawn his support. (Note: This
despite Al Bandar's wife being a Bahraini citizen.)
--------------
Shaikh Ahmed Strikes Back
--------------
12. (SBU) The mid-September revelations resulted in an
avalanche of public accusations, counter-accusations,
conspiracy theories, and unanswered questions, and has been
the talk of the town. Shaikh Ahmed issued a strong rebuttal
of the accusations September 24, saying Al Bandar "weaves a
fictitious and sinister plot to break national unity and
create distrust" among people during the election season. He
called on Bahrainis not to believe "such lies spread by a
person who does not have any stake in the development of
Bahrain." Shaikh Ahmed said that Al Bandar was dismissed
from his ministry job following attempts to break into a
government database. Al Bandar stole "authentic personal
checks, issued as part of genuine financial and trade
transactions, to persons with whom I maintain business
relations outside my official duties." Al Bandar, Shaikh
Ahmed said, "used these checks in a strange and fabricated
scenario." Shaikh Ahmed assured citizens that they will soon
be given "full details of Al Bandar's reports and files to
expose the nature of his work in Bahrain."
13. (SBU) Al Watan also jumped into the fray, reporting on
September 21 that investigations into Al Bandar show that he
put inaccurate information in his report for the purpose of
stirring sectarianism and incitement in the country.
Additionally, the paper said, investigations show that Al
Bandar had opened many bank accounts and was in possession of
a check made out for BD 1 million ($2.65 million). (Note:
Al Bandar's wife Laila Rajab later stated that the check was
a joke between her and a friend who wanted to buy a house two
years ago.) Al Watan further reported that it would soon
reveal Al Bandar's involvement in attempts to overthrow the
Sudanese government and his work with an intelligence agency
to overthrow the South African government. The paper said
that Al Bandar and the intelligence agency he works for
sought to bring about "radical change" in Bahrain by sowing
chaos and sectarian conflict. The September 26 Al Waqt
newspaper reported that a doctored version of the Bandar
report was being distributed by an unknown entity in an
effort to discredit the original. In the false copy, the
names of Shia and opposition politicians and activists are
substituted for those listed in the original.
--------------
Politicians, Activists Weigh In
--------------
14. (SBU) Opposition political societies, politicians, and
activists are predictably outraged over the report's
allegations. Leading Shia opposition society Al Wifaq and
the secular-socialist Al Waad Society have called for Shaikh
Ahmed to step down from any responsibilities related to the
elections. Al Wifaq issued a statement saying the
credibility of the election process would be damaged if
Shaikh Ahmed continues to play a role in its administration.
In statements following a long-planned September 20 meeting
with King Hamad, political society leaders said they raised
the report and the King replied that the judiciary would
resolve the issue. Seven political societies demanded the
formation of an independent committee to investigate the
report's assertions. Several societies have announced
decisions to boycott a planned meeting between the societies
and Shaikh Ahmed to discuss e-voting in the elections (Ref A)
and called for all senior officials responsible for e-voting
to step aside. A "national gathering" of societies is
scheduled to take place the evening of September 28 to
discuss the report.
15. (SBU) MPs are also weighing in. First Vice Chair of the
elected lower house Council of Representatives (COR) Abdul
Hadi Marhoon sent a letter September 26 to COR Speaker
Khalifa Al Dhahrani requesting an extraordinary meeting to
MANAMA 00001728 004 OF 004
discuss possible parliamentary actions, including summoning
appropriate ministers, to discuss the allegations. Marhoon
September 27 called for all government officials whose names
appear in the report to be dismissed. MP Jassim Abdul Aal
told the press that MPs should discuss ways to deal with the
issues raised in the report in a non-confrontational way. MP
Abdul Nabi Salman said publicly that an investigation should
determine whether the allegations in the report are true, and
if so, should explore "why and for the sake of whom" the
conspiracy was activated. Ever the gadfly, virulently
anti-American Salafi MP Mohammed Khalid demanded a court
investigation of Al Bandar rather than the findings of his
report, claiming Al Bandar may be a spy and agitator working
for Iran or Britain.
--------------
Columnists Critical of Sunni Response
--------------
16. (SBU) Widely read Al Watan columnist Sawsan Al Shaer
September 26 termed the position of Sunni Islamist political
leaders toward the Al Bandar report "embarrassing." She
writes, "We were waiting for a position based on principle
regardless of the accuracy of the report. All Sunni
candidates and religious and non-religious leaders should
have declared their rejection" of the manipulations described
in the report. She continues, "Imagine if the picture was
reversed and the plan was to hit the Sunni stream in Bahrain.
Wouldn't you make a big deal out of it and call for an
immediate investigation?" She says she is disappointed that
Sunnis are talking about a spy and his conspiracy against the
nation instead of addressing the claims in the report.
17. (SBU) Saeed Al Hamad of Al Ayam September 27 demanded
the formation of a fact-finding committee to investigate the
Bandar report. He wonders why the people named in the report
are not standing up publicly to clear their names. Al Wasat
editor-in-chief Mansour Al Jamri September 23 called on the
King to reinstate the rule of law by opening an investigation
on the allegations in the report. He adds, "Everyone has
great confidence in the King and his wisdom. We trust that
he will handle this very sensitive case in a manner that
reinforces the rule of law in society and the country."
--------------
Comment
--------------
18. (C) There are many questions about the veracity of the
Bandar report that have yet to be answered. If Shaikh Ahmed
is the mastermind of a complex conspiracy, how could he have
been deceived by a man he hired to work in his own office?
Why would Shaikh Ahmed have used checks to make political
payoffs, therefore leaving the very money trail that has come
back to haunt him in the Bandar report? However, whether or
not the allegations in the report are true, they fuel the
suspicions of many oppositionists -- that the government is
taking active steps to sway, or at least manipulate, the
election results.
19. (C) Comment continued: In any country, the goal is for
elections to be free and fair, and for elections to be seen
to be free and fair. The allegations in the Bandar report -
along with many other issues such as NDI's forced departure
from the country, perceived "political naturalizations,"
gerrymandering of electoral districts, and possible use of
e-voting - further erode public trust in the regime and the
credibility of the upcoming elections. How the government
plays its cards in the remaining two months or so before the
elections will have a big impact on Bahrain's reputation and
the integrity of the elections. The regime's decisions
related to Shaikh Ahmed's role in supervising the elections
and his possible future in government, on whether to appoint
an independent investigative committee, on following through
on recommendations from such a committee, and on its policy
on independent observers for the elections, will all be
important factors in judging Bahrain's commitment to
transparency and continued democratic reform.
********************************************* ********
Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/
********************************************* ********
MONROE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/26/2016
TAGS: PGOV KDEM BA POL
SUBJECT: "BANDARGATE" REPORT ALLEGES SENIOR POWER BROKER
ATTEMPTED TO MANIPULATE POLITICAL SYSTEM
REF: A. MANAMA 1691
B. MANAMA 0907
C. MANAMA 0891
Classified By: Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
.
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. (C) A recently leaked report written by a former
strategic advisor for Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs
Shaikh Ahmed bin Attiyatallah Al Khalifa alleges that Shaikh
Ahmed engaged in a complex conspiracy to influence the
outcome of upcoming parliamentary elections in favor of
friendly Sunni candidates. In a 220-page report, consultant
and Gulf Center for Democratic Development Secretary General
Salah Al Bandar claims that Shaikh Ahmed distributed more
than BD 1 million ($2.65 million) to a range of government
employees, journalists, politicians, and activists to
manipulate the political system in favor of Sunni causes and
candidates. Al Bandar said he had distributed his report to
government officials, political society heads, and some
embassies, and planned to release it publicly until he was
arrested, interrogated, and deported to the UK on September
13. He was subsequently charged with espionage.
2. (C) Summary continued: Shaikh Ahmed issued a strong
statement September 24 denying and condemning Al Bandar's
accusations. Some members of parliament and political
societies have called for an independent committee to
investigate the claims, and columnists have faulted the
responses of Sunni politicians, the government, and those
named in the report. How the government plays its cards
between now and the elections, expected to be held in late
November, will have a big impact on Bahrain's reputation and
perceptions of the credibility of the elections. End Summary.
--------------
"Bandargate" Alleges Political Payoffs
--------------
3. (SBU) A recently leaked report written by (the
UK-registered) Gulf Center for Democratic Development (GCDD)
Secretary General Salah Al Bandar alleges that Minister of
SIPDIS
State for Cabinet Affairs Shaikh Ahmed bin Attiyatallah Al
Khalifa, who also serves as president of the Central
Informatics Organization and head of the Civil Service
Bureau, distributed more than BD 1 million ($2.65 million) in
a systematic effort to influence the outcome of the upcoming
parliamentary elections. A Sudanese-British national, Al
Bandar claims that Shaikh Ahmed created a network of
accomplices who assisted in funneling money from his personal
bank account to government employees, journalists, members of
parliament, parliamentary candidates, civil societies,
lawyers, bank employees, a Jordanian "intelligence" team, and
a member of the appointed upper house Shura Council. The
funds were distributed for various purposes, including
financing electoral campaigns, investigating political
opponents, carrying out press campaigns, defending the
government in international forums, and assisting Shia
"converts" to Sunni Islam.
4. (SBU) The report, quickly dubbed "Bandargate" by the
press and bloggers (who covered the controversy well before
the press picked it up),names several senior government
employees as Shaikh Ahmed's principal accomplices. Through
them, Shaikh Ahmed is alleged to have passed money to MPs and
candidates representing conservative Sunni political trends,
including the Asala (Salafi) and Minbar (Muslim Brotherhood)
political societies and independents such as hardline Salafi
Jassim Al Saeedi. (Note: Al Saeedi denies the accusation.)
The payment amounts cited in the report are not high, from a
few hundred to a few thousand dinars, but in some cases the
recipients received a continuing monthly retainer. The
politicians are presumed to have used the money to finance,
at least partially, their election campaigns. The report
publishes copies of the signed checks and bank statements.
--------------
A Jordanian Connection?
--------------
5. (C) The Jordanian intelligence team was charged with
collecting damaging information on opposition societies,
politicians and candidates. (Note: The Jordanian Ambassador
told the Ambassador that officials from Jordan's intelligence
service had assisted the Central Informatics Organization to
develop "smart" identity cards, commenting that the most
MANAMA 00001728 002 OF 004
technically adept Jordanian officials work in intelligence.
He said the GOJ had refused a very recent Bahraini request to
assist in working on the elections, saying there was not
enough time to do any serious work.)
--------------
Al Watan Newspaper Receives Funding
--------------
6. (SBU) The report asserts that Shaikh Ahmed assisted his
personal friend Hisham Abdul Rahman Jaafar establish the
daily Al Watan newspaper in mid-2005, including giving the
paper a subsidy of BD 100,000 ($265,000). Jaafar was
installed as chair of the board of directors and serves as
the paper's primary investor and owner. In a later article,
Al Watan reported that Shaikh Ahmed had recommended that
Jaafar hire Al Bandar as a strategic advisor during the
paper's start-up phase. Al Watan reported that Al Bandar was
fired, along with several Sudanese he had arranged to be
hired as reporters, following some unspecified problem. He
then was hired by Shaikh Ahmed to work at the Cabinet Affairs
Ministry, in October 2005.
7. (SBU) As reported Ref C, in May Al Watan launched highly
controversial press campaigns against the National Democratic
Institute (NDI) project in Bahrain and the U.S. Embassy. The
paper's reporting slant and editorial position (with one
prominent exception) is reflexively pro-Sunni and anti-Shia,
leaning even toward the Salafi perspective in many areas.
The Bandar report claims that Shaikh Ahmed gave the paper the
subsidy to help it get on its feet in exchange for promoting
this particular political line, making it a unique (and
discordant) voice within Bahrain's crowded press marketplace.
--------------
Meddling with Civil Society
--------------
8. (C) Al Bandar reports that Shura Council member and
founder of the Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society (and close
Embassy contact) Faisal Fulad took money from Shaikh Ahmed to
defend Bahrain in international forums. Fulad did attend the
UN Committee Against Torture session on Bahrain in Geneva in
the fall of 2005, arguing that oppositionists' claims did not
present a balanced perspective of the situation in Bahrain.
He also issued a glowing statement in the Human Rights Watch
Society's name on Bahrain's democracy in late August,
presumably to defend Bahrain against claims made by
oppositionists who delivered a petition critical of Bahrain's
record to UN Secretary General Annan in June. Human Rights
Watch Society Secretary General Houda Nonoo told Pol/Econ
Chief that at that time, Fulad had not consulted with her or
the Society board before issuing his statement. She
indicated that Fulad has not returned her calls since the
Bandargate story broke.
--------------
Al Bandar Consultant for Shaikh Ahmed
--------------
9. (SBU) Al Bandar had been employed as a strategic planning
advisor to the Cabinet Affairs Ministry, one of the
organizations Shaikh Ahmed heads, since October 2005. He
told the Akhbar Al Khaleej newspaper September 27 that he and
four other GCDD researchers began working on the report in
February, after fellow employees at the Ministry began
confiding in him about unusual activities in their offices.
The employees brought him pieces of evidence, leading to his
conclusion that there was a "secret organization outside the
rule of law" operating under Shaikh Ahmed. He compiled
hundreds of pieces of evidence, not all of which he included
in the final report, and finished a draft by August 20.
10. (C) Al Bandar said that he submitted the report by hand
to Bahraini authorities, political society heads, and the
U.S., UK, and German embassies in September. (Note: Embassy
PolOff met with Al Bandar September 7 at Al Bandar's request,
which had been forwarded by the British Embassy, to speak
with someone about the Gulf Center's activities. Al Bandar
passed us a copy of the report at that meeting. Prior to
this encounter, the Embassy had never dealt with nor heard of
Al Bandar, although his wife political activist Laila Rajab
is well known to us. The Embassy has not/not publicly or
privately acknowledged receiving the report nor have we
commented on press or other inquiries about our involvement.)
--------------
Arrest, Deportation, Espionage Charges
--------------
MANAMA 00001728 003 OF 004
11. (SBU) Al Bandar said that he had not received any
feedback from the government about his report and planned to
release it to the press on September 15. However, on
September 13 he was arrested, questioned, and deported to
London. He was subsequently charged with spying and harming
the interests of Bahrain and its people. He was quickly
labeled by Al Watan and others as being an agent working for
a foreign (read, British) intelligence service. The British
Embassy has dismissed any suggestions that Al Bandar worked
for the UK government. The British Ambassador told the
Ambassador that the GOB had informed him that the official
reason for Al Bandar's deportation was that his sponsor
(Shaikh Ahmed) had withdrawn his support. (Note: This
despite Al Bandar's wife being a Bahraini citizen.)
--------------
Shaikh Ahmed Strikes Back
--------------
12. (SBU) The mid-September revelations resulted in an
avalanche of public accusations, counter-accusations,
conspiracy theories, and unanswered questions, and has been
the talk of the town. Shaikh Ahmed issued a strong rebuttal
of the accusations September 24, saying Al Bandar "weaves a
fictitious and sinister plot to break national unity and
create distrust" among people during the election season. He
called on Bahrainis not to believe "such lies spread by a
person who does not have any stake in the development of
Bahrain." Shaikh Ahmed said that Al Bandar was dismissed
from his ministry job following attempts to break into a
government database. Al Bandar stole "authentic personal
checks, issued as part of genuine financial and trade
transactions, to persons with whom I maintain business
relations outside my official duties." Al Bandar, Shaikh
Ahmed said, "used these checks in a strange and fabricated
scenario." Shaikh Ahmed assured citizens that they will soon
be given "full details of Al Bandar's reports and files to
expose the nature of his work in Bahrain."
13. (SBU) Al Watan also jumped into the fray, reporting on
September 21 that investigations into Al Bandar show that he
put inaccurate information in his report for the purpose of
stirring sectarianism and incitement in the country.
Additionally, the paper said, investigations show that Al
Bandar had opened many bank accounts and was in possession of
a check made out for BD 1 million ($2.65 million). (Note:
Al Bandar's wife Laila Rajab later stated that the check was
a joke between her and a friend who wanted to buy a house two
years ago.) Al Watan further reported that it would soon
reveal Al Bandar's involvement in attempts to overthrow the
Sudanese government and his work with an intelligence agency
to overthrow the South African government. The paper said
that Al Bandar and the intelligence agency he works for
sought to bring about "radical change" in Bahrain by sowing
chaos and sectarian conflict. The September 26 Al Waqt
newspaper reported that a doctored version of the Bandar
report was being distributed by an unknown entity in an
effort to discredit the original. In the false copy, the
names of Shia and opposition politicians and activists are
substituted for those listed in the original.
--------------
Politicians, Activists Weigh In
--------------
14. (SBU) Opposition political societies, politicians, and
activists are predictably outraged over the report's
allegations. Leading Shia opposition society Al Wifaq and
the secular-socialist Al Waad Society have called for Shaikh
Ahmed to step down from any responsibilities related to the
elections. Al Wifaq issued a statement saying the
credibility of the election process would be damaged if
Shaikh Ahmed continues to play a role in its administration.
In statements following a long-planned September 20 meeting
with King Hamad, political society leaders said they raised
the report and the King replied that the judiciary would
resolve the issue. Seven political societies demanded the
formation of an independent committee to investigate the
report's assertions. Several societies have announced
decisions to boycott a planned meeting between the societies
and Shaikh Ahmed to discuss e-voting in the elections (Ref A)
and called for all senior officials responsible for e-voting
to step aside. A "national gathering" of societies is
scheduled to take place the evening of September 28 to
discuss the report.
15. (SBU) MPs are also weighing in. First Vice Chair of the
elected lower house Council of Representatives (COR) Abdul
Hadi Marhoon sent a letter September 26 to COR Speaker
Khalifa Al Dhahrani requesting an extraordinary meeting to
MANAMA 00001728 004 OF 004
discuss possible parliamentary actions, including summoning
appropriate ministers, to discuss the allegations. Marhoon
September 27 called for all government officials whose names
appear in the report to be dismissed. MP Jassim Abdul Aal
told the press that MPs should discuss ways to deal with the
issues raised in the report in a non-confrontational way. MP
Abdul Nabi Salman said publicly that an investigation should
determine whether the allegations in the report are true, and
if so, should explore "why and for the sake of whom" the
conspiracy was activated. Ever the gadfly, virulently
anti-American Salafi MP Mohammed Khalid demanded a court
investigation of Al Bandar rather than the findings of his
report, claiming Al Bandar may be a spy and agitator working
for Iran or Britain.
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Columnists Critical of Sunni Response
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16. (SBU) Widely read Al Watan columnist Sawsan Al Shaer
September 26 termed the position of Sunni Islamist political
leaders toward the Al Bandar report "embarrassing." She
writes, "We were waiting for a position based on principle
regardless of the accuracy of the report. All Sunni
candidates and religious and non-religious leaders should
have declared their rejection" of the manipulations described
in the report. She continues, "Imagine if the picture was
reversed and the plan was to hit the Sunni stream in Bahrain.
Wouldn't you make a big deal out of it and call for an
immediate investigation?" She says she is disappointed that
Sunnis are talking about a spy and his conspiracy against the
nation instead of addressing the claims in the report.
17. (SBU) Saeed Al Hamad of Al Ayam September 27 demanded
the formation of a fact-finding committee to investigate the
Bandar report. He wonders why the people named in the report
are not standing up publicly to clear their names. Al Wasat
editor-in-chief Mansour Al Jamri September 23 called on the
King to reinstate the rule of law by opening an investigation
on the allegations in the report. He adds, "Everyone has
great confidence in the King and his wisdom. We trust that
he will handle this very sensitive case in a manner that
reinforces the rule of law in society and the country."
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Comment
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18. (C) There are many questions about the veracity of the
Bandar report that have yet to be answered. If Shaikh Ahmed
is the mastermind of a complex conspiracy, how could he have
been deceived by a man he hired to work in his own office?
Why would Shaikh Ahmed have used checks to make political
payoffs, therefore leaving the very money trail that has come
back to haunt him in the Bandar report? However, whether or
not the allegations in the report are true, they fuel the
suspicions of many oppositionists -- that the government is
taking active steps to sway, or at least manipulate, the
election results.
19. (C) Comment continued: In any country, the goal is for
elections to be free and fair, and for elections to be seen
to be free and fair. The allegations in the Bandar report -
along with many other issues such as NDI's forced departure
from the country, perceived "political naturalizations,"
gerrymandering of electoral districts, and possible use of
e-voting - further erode public trust in the regime and the
credibility of the upcoming elections. How the government
plays its cards in the remaining two months or so before the
elections will have a big impact on Bahrain's reputation and
the integrity of the elections. The regime's decisions
related to Shaikh Ahmed's role in supervising the elections
and his possible future in government, on whether to appoint
an independent investigative committee, on following through
on recommendations from such a committee, and on its policy
on independent observers for the elections, will all be
important factors in judging Bahrain's commitment to
transparency and continued democratic reform.
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Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website:
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MONROE