Bahrain unrest: Opposition arrests follow crackdown

[jannyk]

Source: BBC

Authorities in Bahrain have arrested at least five key opposition figures, a day after a crackdown on anti-government protesters in the centre of the capital Manama, reports say. Correspondents say the opposition, which is seeking political reform, has gone to ground to plan its next move.

The BBC's Caroline Hawley in Manama says opposition attitudes have hardened since the crackdown.

Mr Ibrahim told the BBC: "We refuse to enter a dialogue while there are guns pointed at our heads

The arrested men include Hassan Mushaima and Abdeljalil al-Singace from the Haq party, who had been on trial for attempting to overthrow the leadership, although charges were dropped in a bid to calm tensions when unrest began.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12769168

[Jmaxfie1]

1. Bahrain arrests six opposition leaders

Source: Financial Times

Bahrain’s security forces arrested six activists and political leaders in the early hours of Thursday as the crackdown on pro-democracy protesters turned on those accused by the authorities of leading a campaign to bring down the monarchy.

Security forces brandishing automatic weaponry broke into the houses of leaders of al-Haq and al-Wafa, two hardline Shia Muslim groups that have called for the introduction of a republic in Bahrain, and the head of the secular leftwing Waad party, according to relatives and activists

The targeting of political leaders escalates the pressure on Bahrain’s protest movement, as the government tries to snare people it accuses of fomenting unrest and – in the case of Shia groups – having ties to Iran.

Opposition protesters say that those detained include Abduljalil al-Singace and Hassan Mushaima, the heads of al-Haq; Abdulwahab Hussain, the leader of al-Wafa; Ebrahim Sharif of Waad; and Hasan Haddad and Kareem Radhi.

Read more: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ba32e922-506b-11e0-9e89-00144feab49a.html#axzz1GqaR6lcL