Bahrain’s Shiite leadership condemns continued arrests, turning back 10 years of tolerance

Shiites say Bahrain crackdown sets back relations

MANAMA, Bahrain — The top Shiite politician in Bahrain says last week’s crackdown on Shiite protesters has destroyed a decade of stable sectarian relations.

Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, has experienced daily clashes for over a week between Shiite protesters and Sunni-dominated security forces.

Sheik Ali Salam, the head of Wefaq society, the largest Shiite bloc in parliament, gave the first public reaction to the arrests in a press conference Saturday.

A government statement issued Saturday blamed insurgents for trying to disrupt the country’s security.

Shiites are a majority in Bahrain, but the oil-rich nation is ruled by a Sunni royal family. Shiites have long complained of discrimination.