Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09MANAMA62
2009-02-05 15:29:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Manama
Cable title:
SUNNI EXTREMISTS CONVICTED
how-toVZCZCXRO3902 PP RUEHDE RUEHDIR DE RUEHMK #0062 0361529 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 051529Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY MANAMA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8413 INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RHBVAKS/COMUSNAVCENT PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000062
SIPDIS
BAGHDAD FOR AMBASSADOR ERELI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2019
TAGS: PTER PGOV ASEC PHUM BA
SUBJECT: SUNNI EXTREMISTS CONVICTED
REF: A. 08 MANAMA 558
B. 08 MANAMA 417
C. 08 MANAMA 020
Classified By: CDA Christopher Henzel for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000062
SIPDIS
BAGHDAD FOR AMBASSADOR ERELI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2019
TAGS: PTER PGOV ASEC PHUM BA
SUBJECT: SUNNI EXTREMISTS CONVICTED
REF: A. 08 MANAMA 558
B. 08 MANAMA 417
C. 08 MANAMA 020
Classified By: CDA Christopher Henzel for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (U) Summary: A Bahraini Sunni extremist was sentenced to
one year in prison under Bahrain's anti-terrorism law. End
Summary.
2. (U) Bahrain's High Criminal Court on February 4 sentenced
Bahraini Sunni extremist Adel Saleh to a year in prison on
charges of financing terrorism and maintaining contacts with
a terrorist organization. (Note: After an initial news
report named him, Bahrain's papers have obeyed a government
order to refer to him only by his initials.) He was arrested
in June 2008 (ref B). According to testimony offered during
his trial, Saleh traveled to Iran three times to deliver
50,500 euros to Al Qaeda operatives. He will receive credit
for the time he has served in jail, and will be eligible for
release in about three months.
3. (U) Two other extremists still at large were tried in
absentia and sentenced to 5 years in prison.
4. (SBU) The charges against Saleh did not include any
allegations that he was plotting violence in Bahrain.
5. (C) Comment: Post is engaged with the GOB to obtain
reaction and background on Saleh's sentence, and on GOB plans
to monitor Saleh and restrict his travel. Bahrain's Interior
Minister told us in June that he and Bahrain's intelligence
agency would be pressing for stiff sentences (ref B) to avoid
a repeat of their embarrassment over light sentences in a
similar case in January, 2008 (ref C).
********************************************* ********
Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/
********************************************* ********
HENZEL
SIPDIS
BAGHDAD FOR AMBASSADOR ERELI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2019
TAGS: PTER PGOV ASEC PHUM BA
SUBJECT: SUNNI EXTREMISTS CONVICTED
REF: A. 08 MANAMA 558
B. 08 MANAMA 417
C. 08 MANAMA 020
Classified By: CDA Christopher Henzel for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (U) Summary: A Bahraini Sunni extremist was sentenced to
one year in prison under Bahrain's anti-terrorism law. End
Summary.
2. (U) Bahrain's High Criminal Court on February 4 sentenced
Bahraini Sunni extremist Adel Saleh to a year in prison on
charges of financing terrorism and maintaining contacts with
a terrorist organization. (Note: After an initial news
report named him, Bahrain's papers have obeyed a government
order to refer to him only by his initials.) He was arrested
in June 2008 (ref B). According to testimony offered during
his trial, Saleh traveled to Iran three times to deliver
50,500 euros to Al Qaeda operatives. He will receive credit
for the time he has served in jail, and will be eligible for
release in about three months.
3. (U) Two other extremists still at large were tried in
absentia and sentenced to 5 years in prison.
4. (SBU) The charges against Saleh did not include any
allegations that he was plotting violence in Bahrain.
5. (C) Comment: Post is engaged with the GOB to obtain
reaction and background on Saleh's sentence, and on GOB plans
to monitor Saleh and restrict his travel. Bahrain's Interior
Minister told us in June that he and Bahrain's intelligence
agency would be pressing for stiff sentences (ref B) to avoid
a repeat of their embarrassment over light sentences in a
similar case in January, 2008 (ref C).
********************************************* ********
Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/
********************************************* ********
HENZEL