IS stepping into Bahrain?

The repeated attempts to export terrorism and extremism into the region will break on the doorsteps of Bahrain, parliamentarians said yesterday.

The statement was made in the backdrop of the deadly attack that killed five and injured nine at a religious centre in Saihat village in the Saudi Arabian Eastern Province on Friday, was claimed by a group attributing itself to the Bahraini wing of the infamous Islamic State terrorist organisation

This escalation of exporting terrorism into the Arabian Gulf region has motivated the legislators to reaffirm the people of Bahrain’s loyalty, support and faith in the Wise Leadership of the Kingdom, which they said “will not fall an easy prey for terrorism and extremism.”

 Useless attempts to defame Bahrain

 While speaking to DT News yesterday, Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Parliamentary Committee Chairman Abdulla Binhuwail condemned disrespecting the sanctity of religions. “Any attack on worship places is condemned. It’s rejected in Islam, which instructs to respect all faiths,” Binhuwail said.

He described the recently circulated news on the emergence of a Bahraini division of ISIS as “a part of the continuing attempts to offend the Kingdom of Bahrain.”

Commenting further, the MP said, “There are parties that work hard, day and night, to drag Bahrain into the circle of unstable countries. They intensively utilise the media and other means to achieve this goal. Our country is well protected and we’re marching in the right direction, following the vision of our Wise Leadership.”

Binhuwail, who was recently re-elected as the head of the committee, underlined that the recent attacks in Saudi Arabia are being investigated by the authorities there. “It wasn’t officially blamed on any party, be it the so-called Bahraini division of the Islamic State or other groups. People should disregard the rumours that are widely spread on social networks nowadays and get official news from the appropriate sources,” he added.

Anomalous

Independent Legislator Jalal Kadhem Al Mahfoudh also confirmed the solid security situations in Bahrain, highlighting the enormous efforts paid by Interior Ministry, led by Minister Lieutenant General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, in protecting the country against foreign and internal threats.

“Sedition and sectarian division are serious threats to the whole region. Yet, such hostility is not there in Bahrain, and the few attacks reported here or there are anomalous,” Al Mahfoudh said, while commenting on the attacks on two maatams (religious and community centres) in Bahrain recently.

He opined, “I have been visiting several villages recently to inspect their preparations for this year’s Ashoora commemorating rites. The security presence of Bahrain police is noticeable, as they’re seen organising traffic and directing the crowds.”

Al Mahfoudh called for unifying security measures among GCC countries, as it will sure put a leash on such alien extremist ideologies and uproot them from the region.

He added that the recurrence of such attacks in the region would harm the economies of GCC states. The MP called for joining official and popular efforts in combating these phenomena.