Bahrain Mirror: until mid-2012, the Bahraini intervention in Syria was on the form of humanitarian aid. After that, anti-aircraft were provided, militants were equipped and militant brigades were financed, this is the Untold Story of the Bahraini involvement in Syria. Today it has turned public.

Videos coming from Syria reveal fighter factions, most of which belong to the militant groups, express deep appreciation for the Bahraini funders, in such a way incomparable to other financiers from any other country. How did Bahrain get to play that role?

The following are the major videos published by the militant factions in the past few months:

May 2012: A group of armed militants in the countryside of Deir al-Zour announced the formation of a combat troop belonging to "Alahwaz" brigade under the name of "Battalion of Honourable Bahrainis"; and justified the name in a statement saying "due to the stand of our brothers in Bahrain with the Syrian revolution, and the support from the Government and people". A spokesman said in a videotape amid dozens of masked gunmen that "the task of this battalion is targeting the regime mercenaries, and its vital facilities in all parts of the country; supporting religion and our oppressed brothers and maintaining the honour of Muslim women."

July 2012: the "Immigrants Battalion" of the Qa'aqaa Brigade, published a video thanking the Bahraini financiers for their contribution to the "Equipping Ghazi [militant]" project, referring to "Bahraini Association for the Syrian Revolution" ; and one of the gunmen read a statement for the battalion: "We are a battalion of immigrants of the Qa'aqaa Brigade in the Free Syrian Army; we thank all those who contributed and helped us to fight this criminal. Special thanks to the Bahraini Association for the Syrian Revolution".

August 2012: The commander of the Salafist "brigades of Al-Sham's Hawks" Abu Isa Al-Sheikh announced that Bahraini financiers donated to equip 85 fighters in the area "Al-Zawyia Mountain" who were called the 'invaders'. And in a video of him along with Bahraini MPs from Al-Asalah Islamic Society who wore Afghani dress who were: Abdel Halim Murad, Sheikh Adel Almuawdah, Hamad Al Mohannadi and Sheikh Faisal Al Ghurair, he displayed details of "Equipping Ghazi" project, elaborating that "those (the Bahrainis) equipped the invaders in Al-Zaweya area; and special thanks to the "operators of the project in Bahrain". It is noted that the Salafist "brigades of Al-Sham's Hawks" is one of the factions that announced its rejection to the American decision to include the "Al-Nusra Front" on the terrorism list. And in a statement: "We reject the U.S. decision to include the Victory Front as a terrorist fighter faction in Syria", stressing that "the Al-Nusra Front is like any other military factions on the ground, whose target like other factions is to overthrow the tyrant Bashar and his regime". The "TIME" published an interview with an official in the Al-Nusra Front in Aleppo, in which he referred to one of the meetings, which brought together the commander of the Al-Nusra Front, Abu Mohammed Joolani and armed Islamist groups, and among them "brigade of Al-Sham's Hawks".

October 2012: Islamist militants in Syria - did not state to which faction they belonged to- revealed that they received donations from Bahraini financiers for anti-aircraft missiles, and thanked them in particular. In a statement read by a bearded militant on a video posted on the Internet: "we thank our people in Bahrain, for arming the Mujahedeen, and equipping the anti-aircraft missiles with which we defended the Muslim lands". And he stated while surrounded by dozens of militants "It (the anti-aircraft missile) is the reason to change the course of the fighting on the ground".

April 2013: the Salafist "Sea Sword Battalion ", which was active in the "Daria" Syrian city, broadcasted a video thanking a number of Bahraini funders in the "Zallaq" area, south of the capital Manama, and special thanks to: Sheikh Kamal AlDusoki, Bader Saud and Isa Fares . This was followed by a bearded man, amid fighters waving flags of "Al-Nusra Front" stating: "We, the members of the combatant "Sea Sword Battalion ",in the town of "Daria" would like to thank all the supporting brothers of the Islamic parties, and an exceptional thank to the people of the city of Zallaq in the Kingdom of Bahrain: Sheikh Kamal AlDusoki, brother Bader Saud and brother Isa Fares, we ask God Almighty to accept our souls and to accept your money in his path".

April 2013: the "Al-Zubayr bin AlAwam" Salafist battalion; fighting in "Al Majawdh" area and belongs to to the Brigade of "Ahl AlAther" and "AlAsalah & Al Tanmiyah" Front; stated that it had received 600 thousand Syrian Lire(about $ 6 thousand) from Bahraini financiers. And in a video posted on the Internet, they specially thanked the Salafist MP in the Bahraini parliament Sheikh Jassim Al-Saidi on "his generosity to equip the Mujahedeen in Al- Sham and his aid for the Sunnis and defenseless people of Syria". The battalion also drew a gesture to "Free Al-Sham Association", which is one of the groups supporting the Syrian revolution in Hamad Town, south of the capital Manama. According to information on the Internet; "the "Al-Zubayr bin AlAwam" Salafist battalion was established with assistance from the Arab Gulf Countries".

May 2013: one of the combat battalions in "Al-Quseer" city launched an appeal addressed to the supporters in the Gulf, stating "our brothers in the Kingdom of Bahrain answered our appeal and spent generously". And in a statement by a spokesman on behalf of the gunmen; who lined up behind him; "Where are you, our people in the Gulf? Where are you in the Gulf countries? In the Holy Lands and all the lands of Islam? Fear God and take care of us, help your brothers before the Shiites reach them while you just stare, before the filthy Shiites defile "Al-Quseer" and its people, and still your people have what to offer".

June 2013: The "Ms. Aisha" Salafist battalion operating in Damascus countryside stated that it received US$ 8 thousand from Bahraini financiers, and specially thanked the Bahraini Salafist MP Sheikh Jassim Al-Saidi. And In an online video posted by "the Bahrain Knights movement" on "YouTube", showing a group of gunmen "We, members of "Ms. Aisha" battalion operating in Damascus, extend our thanks and appreciation to our brothers in the beloved Kingdom of Bahrain for their continued support of their brothers in AlSham, and Special thanks to Sheikh Jassim Al-Saidi for his support and urging the worshipers to donate for the sake of God". One of the gunmen; whose face was blurred" pointed out in a statement "Please note that we recently received from brother Sheikh Musleh Al-Anzi the amount of U$ 8,000 through Brother Abu Qutaiba". The "Ms. Aisha" Salafist battalion is "considered one of the fighter factions belonging to "AlSahaba" battalions within the Free Syrian Army", as declared in its launching statement in May 2012.

Link to the Arabic copy ●

"2-3" America’s Major non NATO Ally, Safe Haven for Al-Qaeda 

America’s Major non NATO Ally, Safe Haven for Al-Qaeda «1-3»

Additional Appendices for the second episode:

 Thank you ... We received the 'anti-aircraft'