US embassy cable - 04MANAMA1657

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 001657 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, DS, S/CT 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/01/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, ASEC, PTER, BA 
SUBJECT: TERRORISM SUSPECTS RELEASED PENDING DECEMBER 6 
COURT DATE 
 
Classified by Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) Minister of Justice Al Arrayid confirmed to the 
Ambassador that charges had been filed against the four 
terrorism suspects at a court hearing on November 1, and that 
they had been released pending their next court date on 
December 6.  He said that the government did not have the 
legal authority to extend the detention of the suspects once 
again until the next session.  He promised a fuller 
explanation to the Ambassador in a meeting planned for 
November 2. 
 
2.  (C) Ambassador called Minister of Industry (and confidant 
to the King) Fakhro to express his concern regarding the 
release of the four.  Fakhro, after talking to the King, 
called the Ambassador back to say that the King had told him 
the four would be sentenced on December 6.  (Comment:  We 
understand that the December 6 session will in fact be the 
beginning of the actual trial.  End Comment.)  In the 
meantime, their passports are being held by the public 
prosecutor, they will be kept under surveillance, and they 
will not be allowed to leave the country.  "Rest assured," he 
said, "everything will be done from our side to ensure that 
they are dealt with appropriately." 
 
3.  (C) Attorney and MP Farid Ghazi Rifaie, who represents 
one of the accused, told PolFSN that the November 1 session 
was quick.  The judge received the results of an 
investigation of physical evidence, which concluded there was 
no trace of explosives in fertilizer and sand seized by the 
police.  The prosecutor requested that the detainees remain 
in custody, and defense lawyers requested they be released. 
The judge decided to release them and, according to a press 
contact in the court room, the suspects had to provide their 
residences as bonds.  They also agreed to be available to the 
government at their residences and not to leave the country. 
(Note:  Rifaie said the suspects simply had to provide 
information on their places of residence rather than offer 
them as bonds.  End Note.)  Rifaie said that the four had 
been charged under Article 156 of the penal code, criminal 
agreement to commit a crime.  This is the best the 
prosecution can do in the absence of a terrorism conspiracy 
law. 
 
4.  (C) Comment:  While the judge's action today is a 
disappointment, we will continue to push the GOB hard on the 
need for a conviction and sentencing, both to get these four 
off the streets and to send a strong message on Bahrain's 
willingness to combat terrorism. 
 
MONROE