Western governments wage psychological war in Mideast: Larijani

22 October 2008

Tehran-Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said in Manama on Tuesday that the Western states have waged psychological war in the Middle East in order to sell more weapons to the regional states.

In a meeting with Chairman of Bahraini Legislature's Upper House, Ali bin Saleh al-Saleh, he added that by selling more weapons, the Western governments are trying to settle the current financial crisis.

He urged the Islamic states to make efforts not to be influenced by negative effects of the financial crisis.

Al-Saleh said for his part that exchange of visits between the two countries' senior officials would be useful to further promote bilateral cooperation in all areas.

He added that Bahraini leaders are interested in expansion of ties between Iran and it is a political agenda for Bahrain as a member of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council.

Expressing his satisfaction with inking of a gas accord with Iran, he called for materialization of the agreement as soon as possible.

After the meeting, the Iranian Majlis speaker visited different sections of the Bahraini Consultative Council's building and signed its memorial book.

Larijani then attended a banquet held in his honor by Bahraini Parliament Speaker, Khalifa bin Ahmad al-Zahrani.

Larijani, heading a high-ranking delegation arrived in Manama on Tuesday upon a formal invitation from al-Zahrani.

Islamists Plan Probe into Graft by US Company

7 March 2008

By Habib Toumi Bureau Chief

Manama: An Islamist society is pondering the formation of a parliamentary commission to investigate alleged financial abuses in one of the Bahrain's largest companies.

"We cannot remain idle and simply watch as stories of alleged financial corruptions with staggering figures are unfolding," Dr Abdul Lateef Al Shaikh, head of Al Menbar Islamic Society, said yesterday.

"We are currently consulting with the other blocs to agree on ways to look into this situation seriously and preserve national interests and funds," he said in a statement sent to the media.

The Bahrain Aluminum (Alba) last week sued US aluminum manufacturer Alcoa for at least $1 billion (about Dh3.67 billion), alleging a 15-year conspiracy involving overcharging, fraud and bribery.

Steering away payments

In the lawsuit filed in a US federal court, Alba accused Alcoa of steering payments for alumina, the key material for making aluminum, to a series of shell companies controlled by Alcoa to pay kickbacks to a Bahraini government official.

The alleged bribes and improprieties in the awarding of alumina contracts in Bahrain over the past 15 years caused Alba, one of the world's largest smelters, to overpay for the material starting in 1993, the Bahraini company said.

Alcoa has rejected the charges. "We have not had the opportunity to review these allegations and obviously will do so, consistent with our ongoing ethics and compliance activities. However, we are completely unaware of any wrongdoing by Alcoa or its employees," spokesman Kevin Lowery told Gulf News through e-mail.

In a statement, Al Shaikh said the alleged financial mismanagement should have been investigated during the 2002-2006 period when his society had called for a probe into what it believed were malpractices at the company. "The government should have listened to us then and monitored the transactions because it would have been able to confront the terrible situation," he said.

We cannot remain idle and simply watch as stories of alleged financial corruptions with staggering figures are unfolding."

-Dr Abdul Lateef Al Shaikh, Head of Al Menbar Islamic Society

Teacher Under Fire for Asking Pupils to Colour Israel Flag

28 September 2007

By Habib Toumi

Manama: A Bahrain-based teacher has come under fire for asking her students to colour the Israeli flag as part of an assignment to identify the flags of countries in the Middle East.

"We urge the ministry of education to take stringent action against the teacher for flouting the rules and regulations governing school curricula and seeking to affect the minds of young students," Fareed Abdul Wahid, a preacher, said during the Friday sermon.

"Teachers and schools should appreciate that we do not have ties with the Zionist entity and that they should not impose assignments that are contrary to the beliefs of the students and their families," said Fareed at Al Adliya Mosque, a large mosque located in a posh area in Manama.

The school assignment was first reported by the mother of a student in a private school who complained in a statement to the press about the teacher's action. "I was bewildered to hear my daughter who is in the second grade asking me about the colours of the flag of Israel so that she could continue her homework. She then told me that her teacher had asked them to colour the flags of some countries in the Middle East, and that included the Israeli flag," the mother said.

Ebrahim Al Hadi, an Islamist deputy representing Al Menbar, the offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, said that the teacher had irritated parents and the community.

"The issue is not about colouring a flag, but rather about engaging in an activity that would make students respect a country that persistently refuses to respect our nation," said the deputy member of the Palestine Committee at the parliament's lower house.

"Attempts at normalisation often start with seemingly innocent activities and simple procedures targeting impressionable minds," said the deputy whose bloc has six of the house's 40 seats.