US embassy cable - 05MANAMA1704

S E C R E T MANAMA 001704 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/21/2025 
TAGS: PREL, KAWC, OPDC, PTER, BA 
SUBJECT: REPLY TO BAHRAINI DIPNOTE ON DETAINEE SUICIDE 
ATTEMPT 
 
REF: STATE 210772 
 
Classified By: Ambassador William T. Monroe.  Reasons: 1.4 (b)(d) 
 
1. (S) Embassy delivered reftel diplomatic note on Bahraini 
detainee Juma Al-Dossary to the Foreign Ministry on November 
20.  In discussing the note with the Ambassador, Minister of 
State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed Abdul Ghaffar commented on 
the recent Washington Post article quoting American lawyers 
who traveled to Guantanamo last week, met with Al-Dossary, 
and described his condition to the press.  He asked if, in 
the future, it would be possible to advise the  GOB in 
advance when lawyers are traveling to Guantanamo to visit 
Bahraini detainees.  He also asked if it might be a good time 
for a Bahrain government security team to visit Guantanamo 
again and meet with the Bahraini detainees. 
 
2. (S) Comment and action request: The Government of Bahrain 
continues to struggle with the issue of how to manage the 
detainee issue domestically.  The issue continues to get 
almost daily press play, including comments to the press by 
the three returned detainees (and their supporters) about 
their treatment at Guantanamo and the possibility that they 
might try to sue the USG for the alleged torture and 
humiliation they suffered, as well as reports from the 
American lawyers about those still in detention (like last 
week's Washington Post story on Al-Dossary). If possible, the 
Embassy urges that we be given prior notification of visits 
by the lawyers so that we can advise the government before 
they talk to the press.  Also, please advise if a visit by a 
Bahraini security team would be advisable and welcomed at 
this time. 
MONROE