US Senator rapped for ‘inappropriate’ conduct

Chairman of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee at the Shura Council, Dr Abdulaziz bin Abdulla Al Ajman, has denounced the conduct of US Senator, Chris Murphy, during his visit to Bahrain recently. Dr Al Ajman denounced Senator Chris Murphy’s failure to attend the meeting of the US Congress delegation with the Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committees at the Representatives and Shura councils although he was aware of it, stressing that he deliberately missed the official meeting with the committees to attend private meetings with persons who support extremism, terrorism and unjustified incitement.

The Shura committee chairman called on the head of the US Congress delegation to denounce such actions that contravene diplomatic, political and moral norms, expressing his surprise at the fact that a person who was invited to an official mission within the Manama Dialogue, would visit a person whose ideas are in fact contrary to his government’s policies aimed at curbing terrorists, instigators of terrorism and intellectually deviant politicians.

Dr Al Ajman reiterated his strong condemnation of such behaviour, calling on the US Embassy in Bahrain, which works to strengthen relations between the Kingdom and friendly US, not to help those who come to meet those working against the interests of the country and the people of Bahrain and carry the poisonous ideas foisted by the Iranian authorities. He slammed the US Senator’s conduct which, he said, is not appropriate for a senior official who deliberately visited a person who is rejected by the people of Bahrain as a result of adverse behaviour, incitement to sedition and keenness not to be deterred by punishment.

The Shura Council’s Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee chairman called on the US Embassy in Bahrain to follow the official procedures and coordinate with the relevant authorities while arranging the visits of the delegations, in accordance with diplomatic norms. Chris Murphy is an American politician serving as the junior United States Senator from Connecticut since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the United States House of Representatives, representing Connecticut’s fifth congressional district from 2007 to 2013.

Before being elected to Congress, Murphy was a member of both chambers of the Connecticut General Assembly, serving two terms each in the Connecticut House of Representatives (1999–2003) and the Connecticut Senate (2003–07).