US embassy cable - 05MANAMA1447

S E C R E T MANAMA 001447 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, S/WCI 
DOD FOR OSD/ODA, OSD/ISA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/05/2015 
TAGS: KAWC, OPDC, PREL, PTER, BA 
SUBJECT: TRANSFERRING BAHRAINI DETAINEE AL WADI 
 
REF: A. STATE 184592 B. MANAMA 1088 
 
Classified By: Ambassador William T. Monroe.  Reasons: 1.4 (B)(D) 
 
1. (U) This is an action message -- see para 4. 
 
2. (S) Ambassador, in separate conversations October 5, 
advised Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid Al-Khalifa and 
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr. Mohammed Abdul 
Ghaffar that the United States, after evaluating the written 
assurances received from the Government of Bahrain, was 
prepared to transfer detainee Adil Kamil Abdullah al Wadi 
from Guantanamo Bay to Bahrain.  In delivering this message, 
the Ambassador stressed that it was vital that Bahrain have 
in place a plan to receive, interrogate, develop information 
and, if released, control and surveil the returned detainee. 
 It was critical, the Ambassador said, that a detainee 
returned to Bahrain not at some later point engage in hostile 
or violent activity towards the United States, Bahrain, or 
any other country. 
 
3. (S) Shaikh Khalid gave his full assurance that "this won't 
happen."  Bahrain, he stated, understood the importance of 
the issue, and will not take its responsibilities lightly. 
Upon the detainee's return, the government will question and 
try to build a file before releasing him.  Upon release, the 
government will issue directives to watch him closely and 
maintain complete surveillance on him. Abdul Ghaffar 
requested as much specific information and evidence as we can 
provide about the detainee and what he has allegedly done or 
said. 
 
4. (S) Both Shaikh Khalid and Dr. Abdul Ghaffar expressed 
concern about a premature release of information to the press 
about the planned return, requesting that any news about the 
return come first from the Government of Bahrain.  Shaikh 
Khalid stated that Bahrain did not want to announce the 
return until after the detainee's return.  Abdul Ghaffar, who 
is also Minister of Information, shared that view, but 
worried that word of the return would leak to the press 
(perhaps through the detainees' very active American 
lawyers).  He was considering a short announcement even 
before they returned to preempt any leakage of the news from 
the U.S.  The Ambassador cautioned about any premature 
announcement, but said he would seek guidance from Washington 
on when the Government of Bahrain could announce the return. 
Please advise.  Per Abdul Ghaffar's request, Embassy asks 
that the USG not announce or release information about the 
return until after the Government of Bahrain has made its 
announcement.  Abdul Ghaffar also requested any information 
of the projected timeframe for the return. 
 
5. (S) Abdul Ghaffar stated that Bahrain preferred that the 
United States transport the detainee back to Bahrain, and 
hoped that the return could be arranged as quickly as 
possible. 
MONROE