The Al Bander report refers to a political conspiracy by government officials in Bahrain to foment sectarian strife and marginalize the majority Shia community in the country. The conspiracy was led and financed by Ahmed bin Ateyatalla Al Khalifa, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and head of the Civil Informatics Organization and member of the Al Khalifa royal family. The allegations were revealed in September 2006, in a 240-page document produced by the Gulf Centre for Democratic Development, and authored by Salah Al Bandar, an adviser to the Cabinet Affairs Ministry. Following the distribution of the report, Bahraini police deported Al Bandar to the United Kingdom, where he holds citizenship.
According to Al Bander, the Minister in Bahrain paid five main operatives a total of more than $2.7 million to run: a secret intelligence cell spying on Shi’as ‘GONGOs’ – government operated bogus NGOs like the ‘Bahraini Jurists Society’ and the ‘Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society’ internet forums and websites that foment sectarian hatred subsidisation of ‘new converts’ from Shia Islam to Sunnism payments for election rigging
Individuals accused in the Bandargate report
See also
Human rights in Bahrain
Ahmed Al-Fateh
References
300 protesters in Bahrain demand investigation into alleged conspiracy to rig elections, International Herald Tribune, 17 November 2006 Report Cites Bid by Sunnis in Bahrain to Rig Elections, The New York Times, 2 October 2006 Al-Bandar Ejection Exposes Bahrain Split, The Washington Post, 2 October 2006 Allegations of treason, vote-rigging warn of sectarian strife ahead of Bahrain elections, International Herald Tribune, 2 October 2006 « Bandargate » et tensions confessionnelles, Alain Gresh, Le Monde diplomatique, 19 October 2006 Al Bander-Gate: A Political Scandal In Bahrain , Bahrain Center for Human Rights, September 2006 Documents related to Bandargate, Bahrain Center for Human Rights BandarGate, Lord Eric Avebury, 5 October 2006 Banning Publication of News or Information Related to the “Bandar-Gate” Scandal, Bahrain Center for Human Rights, 6 October 2006 “Bandar-Gate” and the Dangerous Role Played by Some Human Rights Societies and its Relation to the secret organization , Statement by Bahraini Human Rights Activists, 10 October 2006 Activists and journalist receive threats for highlighting Bandargate scandal, Bahrain Center for Human Rights, 12 October 2006 Bahrain: Must be election season, Toby Jones, 12 October 2006 Concern over the lack of an official response to Al Bandergate, Bahrain Center for Human Rights, 13 October 2006 Petition From A Hundred Prominent Figures And Activists To The King Of Bahrain regarding Bandargate scandal , 13 October 2006 Documentary video: Political Naturalization in Bahrain Mahmood's Den Bandargate Archive Bandargate Blog BANDARGATE!, Gulf Daily News, 24 September 2006 BANDARGATE: The unanswered questions, Gulf Daily News, 27 September 2006 Probe Call, Gulf Daily News, 27 September 2006 MPs call for Al Bandar probe, Gulf Daily News, 27 September 2006 Secret offer to run society is alleged, Gulf Daily News, 29 September 2006 Activists charting action plan, Gulf Daily News, 29 September 2006 High Court issues Bandar Press gag, Gulf Daily News, 5 October 2006 Societies call to lift Press gag, Gulf Daily News, 9 October 2006 Video: Press conference of Salah Al Bandar the UK House of Lords (Parts: 1, 2, 3) Video: Discussion with Salah Al Bandar on Kawthar TV (Parts: 1, 2, 3)