Ahmed bin Ateyatalla Al Khalifa
Encyclopedia
Shaikh Ahmed bin Ateyatalla Al Khalifa is the former Minister of Cabinet Affairs in Bahrain
and the head of the Central Informatics Organization. He is a member of the Al Khalifa
royal family of Bahrain
.
In September 2006, he was implicated in the Bandargate scandal
, accused of leading and financing a secret organization of government officials with the aim of marginalizing Bahrain's Shia community, economically, politically and socially.
According to Dr Salah al-Bandar, the whistleblower
, Shaikh Ahmed paid five main operatives a total of more than $2.7 million to run:
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
and the head of the Central Informatics Organization. He is a member of the Al Khalifa
Al Khalifa
The Al Khalifa family is the ruling family of Bahrain. The Al Khalifa profess Sunni Islam and belong to the Anizah tribe that migrated from Najd to Kuwait in the early 18th century. They are also from the Utub tribe...
royal family of Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
.
In September 2006, he was implicated in the Bandargate scandal
Bandargate scandal
The Al Bandar report refers to an alleged political conspiracy by the certain government officials in Bahrain to foment sectarian strife and marginalize the majority Shia community in the country...
, accused of leading and financing a secret organization of government officials with the aim of marginalizing Bahrain's Shia community, economically, politically and socially.
According to Dr Salah al-Bandar, the whistleblower
Whistleblower
A whistleblower is a person who tells the public or someone in authority about alleged dishonest or illegal activities occurring in a government department, a public or private organization, or a company...
, Shaikh Ahmed paid five main operatives a total of more than $2.7 million to run:
- a secret intelligence cell spying on Shi’as
- ‘GONGOGONGOGONGO stands for Government-Organized Non-Governmental Organization, which may have been set up by governments to look like NGOs in order to qualify for outside aid, or mitigate specific issues related to in-country work or international relations...
s’ – government operated bogus NGOs like the ‘Bahraini Jurists Society’ and the ‘Bahrain Human Rights Watch SocietyBahrain Human Rights Watch SocietyThe Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society, is a Bahraini human rights organization established in November 2004 which claims to protect housemaids, and to fight for women’s rights....
’ - internet forums and websites that foment sectarian hatred
- subsidisation of ‘new converts’ from Shia Islamic sect to the Sunni sect
- payments for election rigging
Additional reading
- Al-Bandar Ejection Exposes Bahrain Split, Washington Post, 2 October 2006
- Allegations of treason, vote-rigging warn of sectarian strife ahead of Bahrain elections, International Herald Tribune, 2 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
- Bandargate Blog
- Video: Press conference of Dr Salah Al Bandar the UK House of Lords (Parts: 1, 2, 3)
- Video: Discussion with Dr Salah Al Bandar on Kawthar TV (Parts: 1, 2, 3)