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US hails Bahrain’s anti-terror battle
By REBECCA TORR
Published: 5th May 2008
BAHRAIN is actively monitoring terrorist suspects, but its ability to detain and prosecute them is sometimes hampered by the country’s legal constraints, according to a US Department of State report.
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US hails Bahrain’s anti-terror battle
By REBECCA TORR
Published: 5th May 2008
BAHRAIN is actively monitoring terrorist suspects, but its ability to detain and prosecute them is sometimes hampered by the country’s legal constraints, according to a US Department of State report.
The report for 2007 released by the office of the co-ordinator for counterterrorism highlights Bahrain’s use of its new 2006 counter terrorism law with which it was able to track down and arrest a Bahraini in August last year.
The questioning of the man and the investigation led to the arrest of several others.
According to the report, the men were charged with membership in a terrorist organisation, undergoing terrorist training, facilitating the travel of others abroad to receive terrorist training, and financing terrorism.
The report also highlighted the US decision to impose sanctions on Bahrain-based Future Bank.
The US moved against the bank because it claims one of its shareholders, the Iranian Bank Melli, supported terrorism by investing in Iran’s nuclear programme.
The Bahrain report was part of a larger document on terrorism for the Middle East and North Africa.
The US Department of State report concludes that most governments in the region had co-operated with the US in counterterrorism activities and had made efforts to strengthen their capabilities to fight the war on terror.
“These efforts included participation in USG-sponsored anti-terrorism assistance (ATA) programmes and taking steps to bolster banking and legal regimes to combat terrorist financing,” it said.
“Many countries continued to provide some form of assistance to coalition efforts to bring peace and stability to Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Al Qaeda and associated networks were highlighted as the greatest terrorist threats to the US and its partners in 2007.
“It (Al Qaeda) has reconstituted some of its pre-9/11 operational capabilities through the exploitation of Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), replacement of captured or killed operational lieutenants, and the restoration of some central control by its top leadership, in particular Ayman Al Zawahiri,” stated the report.
“Although Osama bin Laden remained the group’s ideological figurehead, Zawahiri has emerged as its strategic and operational planner.”
The US report claims that state sponsorship of terrorism, particularly by Iran, had continued to undermine efforts to eliminate terrorism.
It said an important element of Iranian national security strategy was its ability to conduct terrorist operations abroad.
“Iranian leaders believe this capability helps safeguard the regime by deterring US or Israeli attacks, distracting and weakening the US, enhancing Iran’s regional influence through intimidation, and helping to drive the US from the Middle East,” it said.
“Hizbollah, a designated foreign terrorist organisation, is key to Iran’s terrorism strategy.”
According to the report, there have been several achievements in defeating terrorism, including the capture or killing of key terrorist leaders in Pakistan, Ethiopia, Iraq, and the Philippines.
It urged governments, multilateral institutions, business organisations, private citizens and organisations to work together to defeat violent extremism.
“Where governments co-operate, build trusted networks, seek active, informed support from their people, provide responsive, effective, and legitimate governance, and engage closely with the international community, the threat from terrorism has been significantly reduced,” stated the report.
“Where governments have lacked commitment in working with their neighbours and engaging the support of their citizens, terrorism and the instability and conflict that terrorists exploit, have remained key sources of threat.”
becky@gdn.com.bh
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