The Minister of Interior, Lt-General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, affirmed that the Ministry of Interior (MOI) manages the public security situation through practical methodology, pointing out that the Ministry’s successful implementing of a series of pre-emptive security operations prevented various crimes, including acts of terrorism.
The Minister of Interior’s statement published by the BNA quoting Al-Ayam newspaper that the Ministry continues to give priority to training and regulations and revealed the training of 5,000 MOI personnel in cooperation with Interpol advisors.
He also emphasized the Ministry’s continual preparation of well-trained, highly-qualified police personnel capable of performing their duty up to international standards. He also praised security men who shouldered the security trust and contributed by paving the way for reaching the dialogue table but the road to attain this goal was costly in terms of sacrifices, self-restraint and patience.
Lt-General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa urged anybody who attempts to interfere in Bahrain’s internal affair to refrain from this, stressing that the solution to the Kingdom of Bahrain should be from within; pointing out that the Ministry implemented all the relevant recommendations of BICI.
His Excellency considered the recommendations of the National Assembly as one of the fruits of Bahrain’s democratization initiative launched by HM the King through the reform project to become the result of the State of institutions and the law, which is expressive of the desire of all components of Bahrain’s community and protect the community from terrorism.
The Minister of Interior dismissed what he termed as a (security fist), pointing out that there is a law which should be respected so that the matter becomes alright and said that any individual or group of people who infringe against the law should adjust their statuses. The Minister said that in all terrorist cases which took place, a number of suspects were arrested and that there was no case in which the culprits have not been arrested.
In reply to a question whether the security solution is not sufficient to end the state of instability, the Minister said: If we consider the situation today, we can see that the current situation is unlike the situation in the nineteen-nineties when the security option was the sole option in addressing incidents at that time as action was restricted to the State Security Law. However, nowadays there is a political breathing space to address national issues as in any democratic country where most national issues are solvable under the institutional system. The situation is sufficient for people to avoid resorting to violence in order to express their demands. Sitting at the table of national consensus dialogue is one of the urbane methods adoptable in addressing national issues. There are many examples in the Middle East and other parts of the world, the Minister added.
The Minister of Interior said that economic crime constitutes a hazard to the community security and impacts on its economy and affirmed that efforts continue to combat corruption. The Ministry of Interior was able to catch persons who exploited their position in carrying out illegal business and efforts continue to fight financial or administrative corruption in all sectors in cooperation with the relevant sides.
Also, many cases are being monitored and followed, and a big shrinkage was observed in this type of crime which impacts on the economy. There are various cases under scrutiny and procedures should be kept confidential until the catching and arresting the culprits red-handed. The Kingdom of Bahrain signed several international agreements pertaining to combating of economic crimes and joined the Arab Network for Boosting Honesty and Curbing Corruption Also; a draft has been compiled for a national anti-corruption strategy.
And regarding violations committed against the law, the Minister of Interior said: Breaching the law has become a public phenomenon in the Middle East region which could be the result of the theory of creative chaos. Today, law enforcement should be a manifest deterrent in order maintain public order, security and stability. It should also be a reminder to make the community aware of its duties vis-à-vis acts of breaking the law. Law enforcers should perform their duties in compliance with the law.
The Minister of Interior affirmed that what recently happened from “Hezbollah’s” constitutes a meddling in Bahrain’s internal affair. The Minister urged Hezbollah not to interfere in Bahrain’s internal affairs because Bahraini Shiites are not a political party, they are Bahraini citizens. The Kingdom of Bahrain’s Constitution and its laws do not discriminate against citizens and there is no sectarian quota system in the Kingdom of Bahrain.