Bahrain to sue Qatar by ICC for backing terrorism

CAIRO – 23 August 2017: The majority of Bahraini Members of Parliament have agreed to sue Qatar internationally through the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands for allegations of being involved in backing and funding terrorism.

According to the Bahraini state owned news agency, BNA on Tuesday, the MPs will demand compensation for all affected by Doha’s polices and it’s backing and financing for terrorism and radical groups.

A comprehensive file includes all the evidence that prove Qatar’s supporting and financing of terrorism allegations will be filed to the ICC according to BNA. It was added that the Bahraini government has to take serious steps against the Qatari attempts of backing terrorism.

A committee of MPs was announced to be formed only for estimating the damage caused by the Qatari politics on Bahrain, “everything will be recorded with numbers and evidences in the file,” BNA’s report stated.

More steps taken by Manama’s government will be reviled soon according to Ali Al-Aradi, Bahrain's parliament first deputy speaker’s statements on Tuesday. He added that it’s the parliament’s responsibility to protect the state’s interests, civilians and even security men.

On August 22, Bahrain state TV broadcasted a video revealing the role of Doha behind the incitement to violence and chaos and intelligence moves to overthrow the Bahraini regime.

The film showed the recruitment of Bahraini agents working for Doha against Manama.
The video also related that the Change Academy located in Austria is run by Hesham Morsi, the son-in-law of Sheikh Youssef Qaradawi, whose name is listed on the wanted-terrorist list announced by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain.

Also, on August 16, the official Bahraini television broadcasted a leaked phone call between former Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim Al-Thani and Secretary-General of the outlawed Wefaq National Islamic Assembly, Ali Salman.

The report produced by the channel affirmed that this call is just one proof among many others that indicate that Doha’s government had a plan to topple the Bahraini regime. “What is the reason that would prompt the Prime Minister to communicate with an outlawed person who used to head an assembly labeled terroristic by the government,” Bahrain’s television report questioned.

On June 5, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain, decided to cut all diplomatic ties with Qatar, hurling allegations that the state supports terrorism. Ports and airspace were cut off to Qatari vessels.

On June 6, Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Ahmad Al-Sabah started a tour that included Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar in an attempt to mediate between the three countries.
A list of 13-demands was given to Doha’s government by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain for reconciliation which includes the closing of Al-Jazeera broadcasting; however, Qatar’s response was described as “negative” by the four countries’ foreign ministers in a joint statement released after holding a summit in Cairo on July 5.

Friday, July 7, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain said in another joint statement that the ultimatum that had been given to Qatar is now void, leading to further legal, political and economic measures against the government of Qatar.

“The Qatari government has purposely thwarted all diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis and has rejected any settlements, reflecting its intention to continue with its destabilizing policies against the interests of the Qatari people,” the Arab quartet said in the statement.

They also condemned Qatar’s “lack of tact and respect” towards the Kuwaiti mediation, as it leaked the list of demands in an attempt to condemn the initiative to failure.