US embassy cable - 05MANAMA943

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000943 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/05/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, KDEM, BA 
SUBJECT: GOB TEMPORARILY CLOSES ISLAMIC ACTION SOCIETY 
FOLLOWING EVENT "HONORING" COUP PLOTTERS 
 
REF: MANAMA 885 
 
Classified by Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) The Shia rejectionist Islamic Action Society (IAS) 
held a ceremony June 29 to "honor" 73 people convicted in the 
early 1980's of attempting to topple the government. 
Spiritual advisor Sayed Mohammed Hadi Mudarasi telephoned in 
from Iran and reportedly called for an end to Shia suffering 
in Bahrain and urged his listeners to "gain their rights." 
Minister of Labor Majeed Al Alawi (a Shia) told the 
Ambassador July 4 that activist Abdul Hadi Al Khawaja spoke 
at the event and insulted the prime minister using "foul 
language."  Al Alawi also said that leading Shia opposition 
society Al Wifaq Vice President Hassan Mushaima gave a speech 
asserting that the Al Khalifas are not Bahrainis.  (Note: 
The family came from Qatar to Bahrain in 1783.)  Al Alawi 
said comments like these are aimed at creating conflict 
between groups in society. 
 
2.  (SBU) Minister of Social Affairs Fatima Al Belooshi July 
5 ordered IAS closed for 45 days for actions that "violated 
its founding objectives and principles."  Deputy chair of the 
group Salah Al Khawaja (brother of Abdul Hadi) complained 
that the decision was unconstitutional and unlawful.  He said 
Al Belooshi should have issued a warning rather than close 
the society. 
 
3.  (SBU) IAS is one of the four boycotting societies.  It is 
a small (10 members) group formerly known as the Islamic 
Front for the Liberation of Bahrain.  Shaikh Mohammed Ali 
Mahfoudh is the president, and members follow the guidance of 
Sayed Mudarasi from Iran.  They are believed to be 
"Shirazis," who are considered to be more radical and 
confrontational than other Shia groups in Bahrain. 
 
4.  (C) Comment:  The more radical strain of Shia 
oppositionists are looking for increasingly provocative ways 
to attack the government.  The June 29 event was a slap in 
the face of the government and the Royal Family that made no 
pretense of addressing societal issues like human rights or 
unemployment.  Per reftel, Abdul Hadi Al Khawaja reportedly 
wants to escalate tensions in Bahrain to provoke a crisis 
that precipitates the intervention of the King.  The IAS 
event was a weak attempt to do so, and the GOB's response 
strikes us as quite appropriate.  We anticipate Al Khawaja 
will look for new and more effective ways to try to rile the 
government. 
 
MONROE