Bahrain divided over arrests

Manama: Bahrain remains deeply divided over the way to tackle mounting social and political tension over the public prosecutor's decision to remand activists in custody for 14 days while investigations into their case continue.

Popular and political pressure to free the three activists without delay was met by insistence from MPs and some societies that they should face the law for the charges brought against them.

The security authorities on Monday arrested Haq Movement leaders Hassan Mshaima, Mohammed Habib Al Moqdad and Abdul Jalil Al Singace after the three refused to appear before the public prosecutor on Sunday afternoon for questioning on their alleged links with 14 Bahrainis arrested in December on suspicion of plotting attacks in Manama on National Day.

Al Singace was allowed to go home on the same day, but was banned from travelling, while Mshaima and Al Moqdad were remanded in custody after they were charged by the public prosecutor with promoting regime change through terrorism.

Al Singace on Wednesday denied any involvement in the alleged December plot, saying that he did not know any of the 14 suspects. “I was not maltreated during the detention, but I could not phone my family to inform them of my whereabouts,'' he said.

The arrests sparked a series of clashes with the police on Tuesday evening with rioters demanding the immediate release of Mshaima and Al Moqdad, hurling stones, burning tires and setting ablaze trash cans. Several rallies were thwarted by the police after organisers failed to secure the required permits.

Jalila Al Sayyed, lawyer for Mshaima, called for her client to be allowed to go home on the grounds that his health was frail and he could remain in custody.

Al Wefaq, the religious and political society from which Mshaima and Singace splintered in 2005 to form Haq Movement, said that they should be released and warned of a deterioration of the situation because of the standoff. Its deputy head, MP Khalil Marzooq, said that solutions could not be achieved through force.
Islamic Action Society (AMAL) said that resorting to police-related methods would worsen the situation and warned against “an escalation of the events that would be detrimental to all parties.''

However, Ahmad Juma, the head of Al Meethaq society, said that the problem had several dimensions that should not be overlooked. He deplored the lack of awareness about the significance of the political reforms and accused political formations of fomenting trouble.

“We are going through painful times because of the deep sectarianism plaguing our society. Each group and society should assume their responsibilities politically and help put an end to what is happening,'' he said.

MP Ebrahim Busandal, from the Salafi Al Asala, rejected the use of force to address the situation, claiming that doing so would “take the country into a dark tunnel.''

“Whoever breaks the law under any ideology should be held responsible for their acts. Opposing laws under any pretext could lead only to chaos and tension,'' he said.