@maryamalkhawaja Maryam Alkhawaja I learned from my father: .........

I think we all know that - but does the rest of the world what sort of teacher your Father actually is!!

via Wikieleaks

THE AL-KHAWAJA CHALLENGE ------------------------

¶11. (C) More difficult for the King has been the challenge

presented by a group of radical Shia led by activist Abdul Hadi Al-Khawaja. Al-Jamry was highly critical of Al-Khawaja, terming him an opportunist who was more interested in personal notoriety than genuine reform. He cited an Arab expression about people who exploit a good cause (in this case, unemployment among Shia) to create mischief, and said that this expression describes Al-Khawaja perfectly. He said that Al-Khawaja has absolutely no interest in democratic reform, and that if Al-Khawaja ever took over people would look back on the days of the Al-Khalifa as paradise.

¶12. (C) Al-Jamry said that Al-Khawaja's goal is to provoke the government into aggressive responses, believing that he is "untouchable" because he has the backing of the United States, Europeans, and Western human rights groups. He said that the King is in a box and doesn't know what to do. He said the Royal Court called him for advice when confronted with Al-Khawaja's most recent demonstration in from of the Royal Court (Ref B). In fact, Al-Jamry said, Al-Khawaja is creating a dilemma for others as well. Mainstream Al-Wifaq leadership feel he is complicating their maneuverings with the government over constitutional reform and election participation, and is also drawing away disaffected young Shia attracted by Al-Khawaja's more aggressive stance.

Leading Shia clerics like Shaikh Issa Qassim don't like Al-Khawaja because he comes from the radical Kerbala-based Shirazi sect of Shias, while Issa Qassim -- 95 percent of (shia) Bahrainis -- look either to Qom or Najaf. Even representatives of the more radical wing of Al-Wifaq, such as spokesman Abdul Jalil Singace and Vice President Hassan Mushaima, who have supported Al-Khawaja, are conflicted: they do not like Shirazis and disagree with Al-Khawaja on the question of election participation (Al-Khawaja apparently is weighing running for parliament).

full cable

http://wikileaks.ch/cable/2005/06/05MANAMA922.html

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