Manama, May 12 (BNA): As part of the community partnership plan and initiatives to improve community involvement, Interior Minister General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa met with Bahraini individuals from all around the country.
Interior Minister meets with citizens from across Bahraini society
According to the Interior Minister, Bahrain’s national defense and security capabilities have been strengthened by the leadership style of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, which has guaranteed the Kingdom’s protection during the Iranian aggression. The Minister also emphasized the steps the government, under the leadership of Prime Minister and Crown Prince His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, has made to deal with the fallout from the Iranian strikes.
According to General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah, the meeting took place against the backdrop of Iranian aggression against the Kingdom of Bahrain and other Arabian Gulf states, which calls for a detailed historical study of this regime based on the doctrine of Wilayat al-Faqih (the rule of the religious jurist). According to the Minister, this idea has developed into a cross-border political project created by Khomeini, going beyond a theological reference framework. This doctrine, which is based on loyalty to Iran’s ruling jurist, causes people to shift their political allegiance from the state in which they live to the country’s ruling religious authority, even when doing so goes against national interests or jeopardizes the security and stability of their nations. He emphasized that the Bahraini civil state’s power is supreme.
The minister claimed that since the 1979 revolution, Bahrain and other Gulf states had seen a change in Iranian policy. This resulted in more blatant meddling in Bahrain’s foreign affairs, which in turn sparked the failed coup attempt in 1981 as well as acts of terrorism and rioting in the 1990s. According to the Minister, Iran has attempted to use political and sectarian justifications to mobilize proxies among some Shia communities. He clarified that the proxies’ allegiance to the top jurist motivated them to act against the state. The Minister went on to say that they also terrorized and harassed anyone who differed with them on political and religious issues, citing the late Shaikh Salman Al Madani as one victim of those Iranian proxies.
According to General Shaikh Rashid, significant changes centered on political reconciliation, transparency, and democratic progress began with His Majesty the King’s ascension in 1999. The changes resulted in the return of exiled people and the awarding of Bahraini nationality, the introduction of constitutional and democratic reforms through the National Action Charter and the Constitution, and a broad amnesty for those found guilty in national security-related matters. He claimed that the reforms strengthened the preservation of human dignity and increased civic engagement while bringing about noticeable change in a number of sectors.
According to the Minister, Iran and its proxies in Bahrain attempted to infiltrate the Shia community through the dissolved Al Wefaq Society as the political arm and the dissolved Islamic Scholars Council as the religious arm after such reforms hindered their attempts.
The 2011 withdrawal of opposition MPs from parliament was mentioned by General Shaikh Rashid, who called it a momentous occasion. He claimed that despite the intimidation and threats they faced, some Shiite community members decided to take part in the by-elections. He claimed that because some Shia citizens oppose Iran’s attempts to impose governmental and religious authority, Iran has realized that their strategy is not complete. The Minister expressed gratitude to the citizens for their devotion to their country.
According to General Shaikh Rashid, the recent events have shown a distinct difference between those who are devoted to Bahrain and those who have chosen to side with its enemies. He remarked that people cannot forget the public displays of happiness and support from some people who applauded the recent Iranian strikes on the Kingdom.
According to the Minister, authorities responded quickly to the crisis by taking legal action, such as revoking Bahraini nationality and deporting those who betrayed the country to the nation that pushed them to commit acts of treason.
According to the Interior Minister, the government has taken serious action against Iran’s proxies in Bahrain, notably Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the primary terrorist group associated with Wilayat al-Faqih.
The minister stated that the group was made up of members of the disbanded Islamic Scholars Council as well as Iranian nationals who served as middlemen with the IRGC.
According to General Shaikh Rashid, the events signaled a change in Bahrain’s security strategy. He claimed that while authorities had traditionally dealt with offenses within the parameters of specific criminal activities and taking into account wider social sensitivities, they had now shifted toward a more thorough and decisive approach when dealing with individuals connected to Iran in Bahrain. He clarified that Bahrain’s authorities have taken strong action against Iran’s proxies, such as the main group associated with Wilayat al-Faqih and Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Members of the disbanded Islamic Scholars Council and Iran-based people who served as middlemen with the IRGC were included in the organization.
Despite numerous attempts by the state to resolve the issue through reform, reconciliation, tolerance, and amnesties, it had persisted in its operations for years. Nonetheless, the Minister claimed that this group persisted in its schemes to control political and religious power inside Shiite communities, intimidate opponents, gather and hide substantial quantities of money, and fund terrorist actions. He said that money had been transported overseas for terrorist activities and that officials had taken BD600,000 in cash from one suspect’s home.
According to the Minister, the group penetrated mosques and maatem, or communal grieving centers, which were customarily run by prominent Bahraini families who had constructed them. Certain locations had been turned into hubs for ideological mobilization and recruiting, and some administrators had been intimidated and fired.
According to General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah, the group had taken advantage of social and economic problems, stoked sectarian strife, formed militias connected to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, trained people in camps overseas, and enabled the importation of weapons and explosives. This is in addition to infiltrating the media, social media, and educational sectors in order to propagate Wilayat Al Faqih’s ideology, carry out disinformation operations, and exacerbate sectarian divide within Bahraini society—all of which the Minister claimed were crimes against the country.
The Interior Minister denied rumors circulating on social media that Bahrain’s Shia population was being singled out, emphasizing that the group is an essential part of Bahraini society and that citizens are treated equally under the Constitution and laws. He said that Bahrain’s Shiite community had a number of religious leaders in the past and existed before the Wilayat Al Faqih philosophy.
General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah emphasized that security measures would be maintained to prevent anyone from endangering the country and so assisting those engaged in hostilities against Bahrain.
The attendees reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining security and public order, especially in the face of regional challenges, and emphasized that Bahrainis are together behind His Majesty the King’s leadership.
They commended the efforts and sacrifices made by security forces in defending society and preserving national accomplishments, characterizing Bahrain’s security and stability as a “red line” that could not be compromised.
