Bahrain Security Forces Accused of Deliberately Recruiting Foreign Nationals

Military, police and security forces are all that stand between citizens who yearn for greater rights and regimes who impose autocratic control. Egyptians managed to convince their president to walk away from power after the military refused to fire on non-violent protesters. Protesters demand similar reforms in Bahrain. But the Al Khalifa regime has recruited security details – specifically Sunni Muslims – from Jordan, Pakistan, Syria, Yemen and Saudi Arabia, reports Ian Black for the Guardian. In Bahrain, a Sunni regime oversees a Shia majority population. The foreign forces have little compunction in using harsh controls, including torture, reports Black. The forces also open Twitter and other social-media accounts to monitor public unrest. A WikiLeaks cable suggests the government has resisted transparent naturalization procedures. A secret immigration policy weighted in favor of security personnel and fundamentalists could further reduce freedoms and security in Bahrain. – YaleGlobal