US embassy cable - 04MANAMA379

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 MANAMA 000379 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR DS/IP/NEA, M, S/CT, DS/ATA, INR, DS/ITA, NEA/EX, 
AND NEA/ARP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/16/2014 
TAGS: ASEC, PTER, BA 
SUBJECT: IT MUST NOT FAIL -- BAHRAIN'S FORMULA ONE GRAND 
PRIX SECURITY PLAN 
 
Classified By: Robert S. Ford, Charge d'Affaires,a.i.  Reasons 1.5(B). 
 
 1.  (C)  SUMMARY: On 03/16/2004, RSO coordinated a meeting 
with top MOI officials to discuss the GOB's security plans 
for the upcoming 2-4 April 2004 Bahrain Formula 1 (F1) Grand 
Prix.  As the first such motorsport event ever held in the 
Middle East, the Bahrain Grand Prix has captivated the nation 
while presenting monumental challenges to the GOB to have the 
technical and security aspects ready in time.  With an 
anticipated 550 million worldwide viewers and an 
unprecedented domestic capital investment, the Bahrain Grand 
Prix could prove decisive in the country's future legitimacy 
as a sporting, business, and tourism destination.  From a 
safety and security point of view, the advisor to the 
Interior Minister stated most candidly to the RSO that F1 
"will work; it must not fail.  That is not an option."  The 
MOI's preparations are impressive, and in summary reflect in 
part the participation of several senior MOI officials in ATA 
training courses. END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (C)  WHO IS INVOLVED?  The Federation Internationale de 
l'Automobile (FIA) oversees motorsports and sets the 
standards.  The Formula One conglomerate, headed by Bernie 
Ecclestone, drives event scheduling and enforces technical 
and security requirements for host venues.  For the Bahrain 
Grand Prix, F1 expects 550 million television viewers and 
about 40,000 to 45,000 attendees.  The GOB has heavily 
invested time and money (over BD 56.2 million -- USD $150 
million on facility construction alone) and massively hyped 
this immense multi-national event.  Nearly all tickets are 
sold, according to the senior Ministry of Interior advisor. 
The organizers do not have an idea from where visitors will 
originate as corporations have purchased large blocks of 
seats and distributed them to their clients and staff, 
however.  Noteworthy attendees will include King Abdulla of 
Jordan, the Duke of York, King Mohammed of Morocco, the 
Sultan of Brunei, of course the Bahraini ruling class, and 
countless VIPs and so called "VVIPs."  Gulf Air is the Grand 
Prix's major corporate sponsor. 
 
3.  (C)  THE VENUE.  Bahrain had no pre-existing support 
infrastructure or even a motorsport industry before winning 
the bid to host this race.  Out of a stretch of barren, 
southwestern desert, which by driving is 35km from downtown 
Manama, the GOB has created the Grand Prix circuit.  General 
admission guests will watch the race from two main 
grandstands, two temporary grandstands, and a desert standing 
area.  VIPs will observe from either the exclusive "VIP 
Tower" or the invitation-only paddock area.  The entire 
facility is surrounded by fencing and the terrain, save a 
small ridge behind the track, is flat and open.  The GOB 
improved and widened the road system leading to the track and 
anticipates altering traffic flows to support increased 
ingress before the races and egress afterwards. 
 
4.  (C)  SECURITY COMMAND AND CONTROL.  The MOI is the lead 
agency for Grand Prix security.  Using a British system to 
designate echelons of command, the MOI Undersecretary is 
designated the "Gold Commander," and overall in charge of the 
security plan.  Subordinate "Silver" and "Bronze" Commanders 
have assigned disciplines of responsibility such as traffic 
control, stationary and roving posts, quick response forces, 
fire and medical services, public relations, and 
communications.  MOI is working closely with the Bahrain 
National Security Agency (BNSA) to assess potential threats 
as well as to utilize the BNSA's Explosive Ordnance Disposal 
(EOD) and search team capabilities.  There will be four 
command centers.  The MOI Operations Room at the MOI "Fort" 
is the everyday dispatch and response center for all policing 
and emergency communications.  This is the Undersecretary's 
primary watch center and it will always be manned.  A second 
Control Room will be manned at the circuit to coordinate all 
on-scene security and communicate with higher headquarters. 
MOI will also employ a vehicle-based Mobile Control room to 
respond to any "hot spot" or remote crisis.  Finally, 
Bahrain's National Emergency Control Center (NECC) will be 
stood-up and manned by a multi-agency team on 01 April.  In 
the event of a major crisis or emergency, the NECC supersedes 
all other commands and becomes the primary incident command 
center. 
 
5.  (C)  PHASING-IN THE SECURITY.  Commencing 01 March, the 
MOI suspended all leave for its entire staff.  Every 
policeman and officer is expected to be involved in the Grand 
Prix.  Also, Bahrain Public Security (BPS), the combined 
law-enforcement and security arm of the MOI, has temporarily 
realigned from four shifts to three, thus increasing manpower 
on duty at any given time.  Through three "Phases," the BPS 
is increasing its foot and vehicular patrols, uniformed and 
plainclothes static posts, hotel presence, and staffing 
around downtown, at the airport (doubling its staff), 
causeway, and at the track itself.  200 policemen are 
specially trained for VIP protection and will be fully 
utilized.  BNSA is already bolstering vehicle and personnel 
searches at the airport and causeway.  On 01 April, the day 
before the event starts, all police will be in place.  At the 
track alone, 520 policemen will act as race Marshals.  200 of 
these are actually shifted to the race coordinators' staff. 
The other 320 will be nondescript as law enforcement officers 
by wearing the race Marshal uniform.  They will perform the 
standard Marshal duties while also observing the crowd and 
reporting any anomalies or problems to the command center. 
Of course, BPS will also staff traditional police posts on 
the F1 complex to address normal police issues like lost 
items, fights, theft, etc.  Every policeman at the track will 
be issued a small "action card" that contains a decision 
matrix and contact directives.  In general, access to and 
inside the complex is staffed by the MOI and BNSA.  Outside 
the track perimeter, the MOI and Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF, 
the uniformed military service), will patrol.  The Traffic 
Directorate will very purposefully control vehicular traffic. 
 Unlike the U.S. or the UK, Bahrain is a country where the 
police can simply close a major roadway or make it entirely 
one-way.  Traffic planners intend to do just this to 
facilitate heavy flows into and out of the site.  Also, 
vehicles entering the area surrounding the F1 facility must 
display special access passes that accompany seating tickets. 
 Traffic police will turn-back vehicles without the proper 
credentials.  All MOI assets will begin rehearsals and 
"Immediate Action" training several days before the start. 
Interestingly, responsibility for securing the VIP tower has 
been assigned to the Royal Guards, the Royal Court's 
bodyguard and security element.  The MOI advisor advised that 
thus far, communication among the usually disparate 
Ministries and agencies has been excellent. 
 
6.  (C)  CONTINGENCY.  The Special Security Force Directorate 
(SSFD, the MOI's anti-riot unit and tactical unit) is 
pre-positioning several teams around the country and at the 
venue.  They will remain in a standby posture for the 
duration of the event.  MOI's "Flying Wing" will keep pilots 
and 2 Bell 412 rescue/evacuation helicopters at the two 
following sites:  the MOI Fort and Sofra, a police camp about 
10km from the F1 track.  The Civil Defense and Fire Service 
is on full standby around the country and will have a heavy 
presence at the track as well.  The Health Ministry has been 
very supportive of MOI's contingency planning.  The two major 
trauma centers, Salmaniya and BDF Hospitals, are increasing 
their staffs in the event of a major crisis.  Further, 
Salmaniya has constructed a BD 15,000 (USD $40,000) temporary 
helicopter landing pad on its campus.  The MOI has also 
arranged for Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) standby 
response teams. 
 
7.  (C)  STRATEGY AND PHILOSOPHY.  MOI acknowledges that it 
is not possible to completely eliminate all risk.  The 
Undersecretary and his senior advisors are attempting to 
lower the percentages for any would-be attacker or disrupter. 
 As this is such an unprecedented, pivotal, and high-profile 
national event, top leaders are demanding its success.  In 
MOI's view, the F1 circuit facility itself is one of the 
least likely targets of a potential attacker.  Any attack of 
significance anywhere in Bahrain could immediately cancel the 
Grand Prix.  For this reason, MOI is compelled to address the 
totality of threats and security around the country as they 
relate to a major event.  The world's eyes will be focused on 
the security situation in Bahrain but, the MOI is sensitive 
to not render the Grand Prix a "Police Event."  They will 
maintain a very high, overt police profile outside the 
perimeter, while striving to remain discreet inside. 
Security implementation has already begun with the initial 
phase-in of additional police around town.  As to not shock 
the public, the police will gradually increase staffing 
through three phases.  The MOI has also met with the major 
anti-government political societies and gained their 
assurances to abstain from impeding the visitors or event 
schedule.  Further, commencing 26 March, MOI will begin a 
major public advisory campaign to advise the nation about 
changing traffic patterns, access requirements, and general 
security measures.  MOI considers their strengths to include 
the facts that Bahrain is a small island with limited access 
points, BNSA has generally good intelligence capabilities, 
and all security forces are taking Grand Prix safety and 
security efforts seriously. 
 
8.  (C)  COMMENT:  We were genuinely impressed with the depth 
and breadth of MOI's preparations.  The Ministry has been 
working on their plan for months.  Many of the senior 
policy-makers at MOI are products of multiple ATA training 
courses.  Their thought processes (and RSO's level of access 
to briefs like this) are direct benefits of ATA-sponsored 
training in Bahrain.  Post's three main concerns continue to 
be the "Bahraini 3" Sunni extremists at large, security at 
the causeway linking Saudi Arabia to Bahrain, and other 
general soft targets around Bahrain.  Any attack would likely 
cancel the event and jeopardize any future legitimacy for 
Bahrain in the business, sporting, or tourism industries. 
Though we currently know of no specific threat as of yet, 
certainly Post is concerned that the high-profile nature of 
the Grand Prix presents an attractive target for any 
attention-seeking person or group.  RSO will continue to work 
closely with relevant GOB offices to track Grand Prix 
specific threat information.  The MOI directly requested of 
RSO to be kept informed of any/all threat information about 
which we learn.  RSO and other Post Officers will ensure the 
timely passage of threat info to MOI decision-makers.  RSO 
will make available an unclassified version of this report to 
share with U.S. companies and concerned citizens.  END 
COMMENT. 
FORD