PRESS, DIP NOTE PROTEST CONTINUED GTMO DETENTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 000268 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR S/WCI, NEA/ARPI E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2016 TAGS: KAWC PTER PREL BA APDC BILAT CTR SUBJECT: PRESS, DIP NOTE PROTEST CONTINUED GTMO DETENTION OF BAHRAINI REF: A. MANAMA 0089 ¶B. STATE 10487 Classified by DCM Susan L. Ziadeh for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) This is an action request; please see para 7. -------------- Summary -------------- ¶2. (C) Bahraini newspapers February 22 reported that Bahraini detainee Juma Al Dossary would remain at Guantanamo for at least one more year following an Administrative Review Board (ARB) decision that he continues to be a threat to the United States. American lawyer Joshua Colangelo-Bryan sent a letter to military authorities requesting that Al Dossary be moved from a psychiatric ward, where he is now held, to an area where he could interact with other detainees. Al Dossary told Colangelo-Bryan that he felt the ARB panel members were moved by his plea to return to Bahrain. MP Mohammed Khalid told the press that parliament would discuss the continued detention of Bahrainis at GTMO next month and he asked rhetorically what the government was doing to free them. Separately, the Embassy February 21 received a diplomatic note from the MFA asking that the U.S. take action to prevent Al Dossary's condition from deteriorating further and for the return of all three remaining detainees to Bahrain. End Summary. -------------- ARB Ruling Adds to "Despair and Hopelessness" -------------- ¶3. (U) The local press reported February 22 that Bahraini GTMO detainee Juma Al Dossary learned in January that an ARB ruled that he continues to be a threat to the United States and so must remain at Guantanamo until at least the next review, in another year. American lawyer Joshua Colangelo-Bryan, from the Dorsey and Whitney law firm, broke the news to the press. Colangelo-Bryan noted there is no appeals process for the ARB outcome and the decision would "naturally add to Juma's despair and hopelessness." Al Dossary has attempted suicide ten times during his four years in detention. ¶4. (U) Colangelo-Bryan added that he had sent a letter to military authorities requesting that Al Dossary be moved to an area where he could talk and interact with other detainees. Al Dossary reportedly is held in a psychiatric ward occupied by prisoners with severe emotional problems who "shout incessantly," according to Colangelo-Bryan. He stated that prior to his placement in the psychiatric ward, Al Dossary had been held in isolation for more than 18 months. Colangelo-Bryan reported that Al Dossary told him that he felt the ARB panel members had been moved by his plea to return to Bahrain. Al Dossary said that he told the ARB about his suicide attempts and the "very serious abuse" he has suffered at GTMO. He promised the panel that he would stay in his house "for 75 years" if he was released. ¶5. (U) Khalid Al Dossary, brother of the detainee, told the Gulf Daily News that the decision to hold Juma another year was "bad news," noting that he thought the Bahraini government was holding "intensive talks" on the release of his brother and the other two Bahraini detainees, Essa Al Murbati and Salah Al Balooshi. MP Mohammed Khalid, an outspoken advocate for the detainees, told the press that parliament will discuss the issue in March. He said, "We are waiting to see what the Foreign Affairs Ministry will do. This is a question for them - what will the government do?" -------------- -------------- Note Requests End to Isolation, Return of Detainees -------------- -------------- ¶6. (C) In a separate move, the Embassy February 21 received the following diplomatic note from the MFA: Begin Text: Ref: 19/1/5-61182 Date: February 18, 2006 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America in the Kingdom of Bahrain and would like to notify the Embassy that information has been received recently from the local press and through the lawyers of Dorsey and Whitney about the Bahraini detainee, Juma Mohammed Al Dossary, stating that he is currently detained in the psychiatric ward. The information also stated that Al Dossary tried to commit suicide several times and that he has been kept in isolation. The Ministry would very much appreciate it if the esteemed Embassy would kindly contact the concerned authorities in the United States to take an action to prevent Al Dossary's condition from getting worst and to end the isolation. The Ministry would also like to emphasize that Bahrain considers its relationship with the United States of America to be distinguished and friendly. On the other hand, Bahrain is concerned about the three Bahraini detainees, health and psychological conditions and hopes that the United States would accept the Kingdom's request to release them and send them back to Bahrain. The Ministry avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the esteemed Embassy the assurances of its highest consideration. End Text. -------------- Comment and Action Request -------------- ¶7. (C) We had informed the Foreign Minister in January of the ARB's November decision to detain Al Dossary an additional year (reftels). Public reporting of the news, following negative coverage of UN and Amnesty reports on Guantanamo, will increase pressure on the MFA to "do something" on behalf of the detainees. The latest diplomatic note is the last in a string of notes we have received from the MFA, clearly part of the GOB's effort to document its engagement on the issue. Post requests Washington guidance to respond to this latest Bahraini diplomatic note. MONROE