How many opposition groups are there these days?!

There is the February 14 Coalition movement, the Al Imam Army, the Al Ashtar Brigades…

The list of these funny names goes on and is an indication that the opposition is trying to rebrand itself after a series of failures since protests started in 2011.

These eye-catching names are designed to send a message to the world that the opposition is still keeping its head above the water.

However, the common denominator among these groups is the goal of terrorising this peace-loving nation – a country that continuously tries to involve opposition groups in a constructive dialogue to solve the political crisis.

If plurality is a measure of democratic progress, then Bahrain must be among the leaders. It tried to include the opposition groups in the politics of the nation on several occasions, but to no avail.

Last week, the so-called Al Ashtar Brigades claimed responsibility for a car bomb in a mosque’s parking lot in Riffa, the likes of which we have rarely seen.

It exploded as devoted believers were performing late night prayers.

Though there were no reports of death or injury, the aim of this terrorist group was clear – to kill or maim the maximum number of people belonging to one sect, to unleash sectarian conflict and to disrupt social cohesion which is a hallmark of Bahraini society that has been preserved for generations.

It was carefully planned, both in terms of timing and place, in such a way that the explosion took place where a maximum number of people gathered.

Just because there were no deaths or injuries doesn’t mean that it was insignificant.

We have to consider this event as though it claimed several human lives, for this was the intension of the terrorists.

Those small-minded terrorists think that violence can force the government to accept their demands.

This is na•ve at best and disingenuous at worst.

Neither the leadership nor the Bahraini public will kowtow to terrorists.

Genuine dialogue at the negotiating table remains the only panacea for the current political crisis Bahrain is facing. Anything short of this is futile.

Those who committed the crime should be hunted down and face justice.

It is impossible to think such a heinous crime would take place in Bahrain without help from abroad – from places where such incidents are common, such as Iraq.

The sad thing is that the Bahrain terrorists are selling their souls and country at the expense of the lives of the innocent, including their own!!

Now is the time to act to contain the terrorists before they tear apart our social cohesion and sow the seeds of sectarianism, which can bring with it a cauldron of consequences that could affect future generations.
Abu Mohammed