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April 18th, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda Bahraini activists said on Tuesday that the Saudi-backed regime forces had made the arrests in the villages of Bani Jamra, Sitra, Ghuraifa, Diraz, Ma’amir, and Sehla, Reuters reported.
The activists also say the ruling Al Khalifa regime forces have used live rounds against the peaceful protesters.
The regime has escalated its crackdown on the peaceful demonstrations in recent days to prevent a widespread protest action during the Formula One event.
Anti-regime demonstrators condemn the auto race, which is going to be held on the Persian Gulf Island, despite the regime’s ongoing violent suppression campaign against the protesters.
Press TV has conducted an interview with Saeed al-Shehabi, a Bahraini opposition leader, to share his opinion on this issue.
The following is a rough transcription of the interview.
Press TV: Mr. Shahabi, first of all, how would you explain the Bahraini regime’s decision to go with the Formula One race?
Shahabi: To the Al Khalifa regime, the F1 race is a matter of life or death. If it does not take place this year then for the regime it is the end of an ambitious program of selling itself and portraying itself to the world as a stable, democratic and forward looking regime.
And the whole country has been transformed into a security zone by these arrests because they know that the people will not be quiet.
And I do not believe that the F1 this year will have any chance of success. It will be a failure, it will be doomed and I think the Al Khalifa regime will be doomed as well.
So I think they are betting on a losing horse and the hope is that our people will win the war over this time as they did last year.
Press TV: Mr. Shahabi, I mean if the race is held then what do you think the people will do during the race? And now that we are hearing specially that at least 60 protest leaders have been arrested, I mean will people be able to manage the protests by themselves?
Shahabi: Well they have been resilient for the past twelve months. They have not stopped demonstrating on daily basis. This is one thing.
The other thing is that this week has been termed the “No to Formula One “week. Protests have been going on at a larger pace than they have been, also the slogans that they have been putting the attack on Ecclestone (president and CEO of Formula1 management) and the F1 management team.
They promised to turn Bahrain into a security zone, into a country where large demonstrations take place that have also been announced.
So all in all I believe that the situation will become much worse for the regime and I think the F1 leadership and management team will really become sorry for the decision they have taken which is also I believe politically influenced.
I think the rich government put a lot of pressure on Ecclestone while the team themselves, several of them have expressed dismay at the decision to go back and it is still my belief that they will cancel at the last minutes because it is simply not going to be fair or to be quiet specially on Friday when there is going to be a huge demonstration that will show the world how much this regime is lying and misleading the world about the stability and the security in the country.
Press TV: Of course Mr. Shahabi, I mean the Formula One race is famous for attracting thousands of tourist and foreign journalists.
I mean what image would these foreign tourists and journalists have at the situation in Bahrain if they get a chance to see that huge demonstration as you speak of?
Shahabi: First of all I do not believe that many people will come from outside to see it for fear of the security and they do not want to waste their money and their time in a country which is in a volatile.
Secondly, the people themselves, many of them have expressed dismay at the decision to go back to the bloody Bahrain as it is termed where blood is being let every day.
Thirdly also there have been several news agencies and news channels in Germany, in Finland and in other places have said that they are not going to send teams to cover the event unlike what they have done in the past.
So there is a green mood among the people who are enthusiastic about the F1 and I think Ecclestone is taking the wrong decision.
It could be fatal for the whole game because at the end people do not want to waste their time or money or reputation or humanity for the sake of pleasing dictators and killers and occupiers.
AHK/AZ
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