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Bahraini opposition leader hurt in clashes
 NUWAIDRAT, Bahrain - Ibrahim Shareef, general secretary of Bahrains second-largest opposition group, the National Democratic Action Society, or Waad (Promise), was injured Saturday night during clashes with police. Shareef was treated at a local hospital for knee and shoulder injuries after police stormed a solidarity ceremony for two opposition figures. The gathering was held at a site in Nuwaidrat, east of the capital, Manama.
Shareef told the Arabic daily Al Waqt that the injuries he suffered were the result of rubber bullets and that he was planning to file a complaint Sunday with the public prosecutor against the Interior Ministry.
| Sucks to live in a non-democratic state, huh? |
The daily also quoted the assistant deputy of legal affairs at the Interior Ministry that authorities received information indicating the intention of a group of individuals to assemble in the area to hold a symposium without obtaining proper permits. The deputy pointed out that the organizers failed to notify authorities and obtain permission from the ministry. The public security forces had issued an order for the participants to disperse, but they did not comply, which lead the forces to deal with them as necessary to disperse them within the law, he was quoted saying.
| "Hey! Youse guys up dere! Gitoutta heyre or youse gonna git it!" |
Shareef was on a stage flanked by a number of opposition figures and an opposition member of Parliament addressing a crowd of some 200 people, when police intervened to break up the illegal ceremony. Organizers rushed to the stage to shield Shareef and the other participants from police.
| "We will spill our blood for you, Shareef!" |
The clashes left several participants injured, while at least one police officer sustained an injury after being attacked by a protester. A local bakery shop caught fire during the clashes, which lasted for more than two hours. Two more shops nearby were also damaging.
The clashes quickly spread to the nearby Shia village of Sitra, where rioters exploded a gas cylinder under a high-voltage electricity tower.
| "Watch this, guys, I learned this from a Bugti!" |
Posted by: Steve White 2007-05-20 |
