Community Centers as Arsenals - another Shi'ite tradition?

Shiite 'maatams' threaten to sue columnist
By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief

Manama: One hundred and fifty Shiite community centres or maatams yesterday threatened to sue controversial columnist Sameera Rajab for claiming that they are being used to store weapons. Sameera, a Shiite activist who staunchly opposed the US occupation of Iraq and often criticised Iran for its alleged role there, made the claim during a lecture last month while talking about political developments in the region.

But the community centres said in a statement that the charges were baseless and issued a statement yesterday denouncing the activist and demanding a public apology.

"We were shocked to hear and read that a columnist attacked Shiite community centres which have always been an integral part of our people and creeds. Her claim that the centres are being used as stores for weapons is a blatant aggression of our Islamic and national values, an obscene violation of the Bahraini constitution and the laws and a harmful desecration of social peace," the statement said.

The community centres said that they could not understand the motives and reasons behind the claims. "This senseless attack on religious icons is a threat to national unity and a source of division between the citizens of this nation. What the columnist said has crossed all red lines."
Sameera, a Shura (upper) council member and an Akhbar Al Khaleej columnist who describes herself as a voice of pan-nationalism, waded into deep controversy three years ago with Shiites in Bahrain and in the Gulf when she claimed that Iraq's highest religious authority, Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani, was a US general who facilitated the invasion and occupation of Iraq.

Her regular criticism of Iran and its stances on developments in Iraq and its perceived role in the Gulf have also caused furore and earned her the wrath of the Iranian embassy officials in Manama.

"While we condemn the claims made by the columnist, we demand a clear apology from her for hurting the dignity of the nation and we call upon the citizens and government of Bahrain to take a firm stance against anyone who promotes divisions," the statement said.

"We reserve the right to take legal action against anyone who attacks the community centres without any evidence or proof."