Qatar’s programme a conspiracy against Bahrain, says Bahrain Defence Force

MANAMA: The official spokesperson for Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) said that the so-called documentary ‘What is hidden is more immense’ aired on Sunday by Qatar’s Al Jazeera channel is the latest episode of its series of conspiracies against the Kingdom of Bahrain within its attempt to undermine the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and stir up strife among its members.

The spokesperson was quoted by Bahrain News Agency (BNA) as saying that the claims made by Yasser Athbi Al Jalahma during the programme were false and a twist of the facts on the ground.

In fact, the security brigade in which he was assigned in 2011 was an auxiliary force at the Interior Ministry tasked with ensuring the security of the Salmaniya Medical Complex. His brigade was never given any task in the operation to clear the roundabout, and therefore all the allegations by Al Jalahma, including the number of the members in the brigade and the posing of weapons and the taking of pictures by the Ministry of Interior, are pure lies.

The BDF spokesperson added that in 2018, the security agencies in the BDF spotted Al Jalahma recruiting cluster cells in order to spy on behalf of a foreign country (Qatar).

He conspired with other suspects engaged in intelligence activities to disclose Bahrain’s defence secrets and to hand over classified information to Qatar intelligence agencies in order to damage Bahrain’s military and defence posture.

He and the other suspects disclosed sensitive classified information and military secrets to unauthorised individuals.

The Military Prosecution, upon achieving its thorough investigations, referred the case to the Military Judiciary. On April 30, 2019, the Military Court issued its sentences that varied between temporary and life prison terms.

Al Jalahma was sentenced to death in absentia and his rank was demoted to soldier. He was also discharged from the BDF without insignia and his name was written off the BDF reserves list. He is still a wanted fugitive.

In 2013, Al Jalahma was also sentenced to 10 years in jail for failing to respond to the call of the Reserve Force after he fled to Qatar and acquired its nationality without the approval of the relevant department in the BDF. A judicial warrant of arrest was issued against him through Interpol.

The BDF spokesperson stressed that Al Jazeera’s approach incites hatred and proves to the world that Qatar embraces terrorists and finances them to distort the Kingdom of Bahrain’s image in an attempt to destabilise Bahrain’s civil peace and sow sedition amongst the GCC states.

Qatar’s destructive tool will continue to target Bahrain, but the Kingdom will remain a strong, serene and secure Arab country ruled by the noble Al Khalifa family and in which the people have full allegiance to their leadership. The BDF will remain the mighty, invincible shield of the beloved Kingdom under the wise leadership of King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa, the Supreme Commander, the spokesperson added.