US embassy cable - 05MANAMA14

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 000014 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AMEMBASSY RIYADH PASS DHAHRAN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/02/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, ASEC, BA, SA 
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN'S RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL LEADERS CONDEMN 
AL FAQIH'S CALL FOR PROTEST AGAINST SAUDI ARABIA 
 
 
Classified by DCM Susan L. Ziadeh for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
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Summary 
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1.  (C) Bahrainis disregarded London-based Saudi dissident 
Dr. Saad Al Faqih's call for protests against the Saudi 
Arabian government following Friday prayers December 31. 
While police stood by, worshippers departed the Al Fateh 
Grand Mosque compound in a normal fashion.  Al Faqih's appeal 
provoked a backlash of opposition from leading Bahrainis in 
the fields of religion, politics, and media.  They sounded 
common themes of promoting unity, peaceful relations, and 
non-interference in internal affairs and condemned Al Faqih's 
move as evil.  Bahrain's Salafis, presumably the target of Al 
Faqih's call, are influential in Bahrain due to their 
prominent position inside the parliament's Council of 
Representatives, and would only jeopardize their position by 
taking on Bahrain's largest, most important neighbor.  End 
Summary. 
 
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They Gave a Protest and Nobody Came 
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2.  (SBU) London-based Saudi dissident Dr. Saad Al Faqih's 
call for demonstrations against the Saudi government at 
Manama's Al Fateh Grand Mosque following Friday prayers went 
unanswered December 31.  Al Faqih had urged Bahrainis to 
stage mass demonstrations against Saudi Arabia in broadcasts 
on the dissident's Al Islah satellite channel. 
 
3.  (C) RSO confirmed that the Interior Ministry deployed 
some 30 police officers to the Grand Mosque Friday to control 
any protests.  Eyewitnesses reported that worshippers 
dispersed following the prayers in a normal fashion. 
 
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Imam Condemns Call As "Evil" 
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4.  (SBU) Bahrain's religious and political leaders were 
united in condemning Al Faqih's call.  Imam of the Grand 
Mosque Shaikh Adnan Al Qattan addressed the issue in his 
sermon, saying that the call was evil aimed at fomenting 
disorder, hostility and disputes among Muslim states.  He 
said that Islamic values guide Muslims to observe good ties 
with neighbors, not intervene in others' internal affairs and 
to respect national sovereignty.  He warned citizens against 
responding to the call, which could lead to serious 
consequences and harm the country's unity and please the 
enemies of Islam.  He called on the security services to ban 
any demonstrations. 
 
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Politicians Warn Against Action 
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5.  (SBU) Head of the Salafi political bloc Al Asala and 
Second Deputy Chairman of the parliament's lower house 
(Council of Representatives - COR) Shaikh Adel Al Moawda 
publicly condemned the call and said that demonstrations 
would harm unity in society and encourage the enemies of 
Islam to act against Muslims.  Protests and rallies are not 
the proper way to bring about reforms, he added. 
Spokesperson for the Salafi bloc, Ghanem Al Boanain, stated 
that reform should be achieved gradually through peace rather 
than violence.  He added that King Hamad set an example to be 
followed regarding reform, opening channels for dialogue and 
new ideas. 
 
6.  (SBU) President of (Muslim Brotherhood affiliated) Al 
Minbar National Islamic Society and head of the Minbar 
parliamentary bloc Dr. Salah Ali said that the call for 
protests contradicts Islamic teachings.  He added that 
targeting Saudi Arabia crosses red lines and directly targets 
the security of the GCC.  He continued that protests would 
increase the already existing pressure on Muslims at a time 
when "Islam is targeted."  He urged Arab and Islamic 
governments to reach out to their citizens and open channels 
of communication on national issues. 
 
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Journalists Caution Against Interference 
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7.  (U) Al Wasat newspaper Editor in Chief Mansour Al Jamri 
in a January 2 column rejected Al Faqih's call, describing it 
as unwise and unacceptable.  He wrote, "our hope is that 
dialogue is reinforced between Gulf countries without the 
need to resort to incitement...  We in Bahrain do not call on 
anybody in other countries to demonstrate on our behalf and 
we do not expect others to become involved in Bahrain's 
internal affairs."  Akhbar Al Khaleej newspaper columnist 
Abdul Menem Ibrahim wrote, "the call of radical Saudis to 
demonstrate in Bahrain against Saudi Arabia was a call that 
revealed their true backwardness.  They think that political 
freedoms in Bahrain give them the right to use Bahrain for 
their activities, but they are wrong.  Democracy is not 
interfering in others' affairs or disrespecting brotherly 
relations with neighboring countries.  Bahrain's democracy is 
for Bahrainis." 
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Comment 
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8.  (C) Al Faqih presumably was appealing to Bahrain's Salafi 
community in his call for protests against Saudi Arabia.  If 
he was expecting support, he badly miscalculated.  Bahraini 
Salafis and other Sunni conservatives are doing quite well 
within the system, representing a well-entrenched group in 
the Council of Representatives.  They would only jeopardize 
their position by supporting calls for interference in Saudi 
Arabia.  Bahrain's Shia will always be suspicious of the 
intentions of Sunni fundamentalists.  Other interest groups 
in Bahraini society, particularly the government and business 
community, are looking for ways to mend relations with the 
Saudi government following month-long tensions stemming from 
Saudi Arabia's implicit criticism of the U.S.-Bahrain free 
trade agreement.  As a result, Al Faqih did not stand a 
chance. 
 
MONROE