Talk:Special Security Force Command

Is this page really correct?

Is the Special Security Force Command really "under the command" of the NSA? Also, is the SSFC really the "riot police?" The Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry report describes the security apparatus like this:

“ 146. Of the various MoI divisions, two are particularly relevant to the events of February and March 2011. These are the Public Security Forces (PSF) and the CID. The PSF are commanded by General Tarek Mubarak bin Dayna and include all MoI field units responsible for maintaining order and security in Bahrain. The following units and departments are among those that report directly to the PSF command: (1) the police departments of the five governorates of Bahrain (Manama, Muharraq, Shamaliyah, Janubiyah and Wusta); the Special Forces Department; the Special Protections Department; the Counter Terrorism Centre; the Traffic Police; the Operations Department; and the Coast Guard. ”

“ 148. It has been established that the PSF, including both riot control units and special forces, took part in joint arrest, search and seizure operations with other government agencies. In most of these joint operations, PSF units were ordered to assist NSA agents as they executed arrest warrants issued by the BDF Military Prosecutor. The role performed by PSF units was usually to provide perimeter security to the NSA agents and to assist them in the event that the suspect resisted arrest or attempted to escape. In some instances, BDF units also participated in these operations. ”

It sounds to me like the "special forces department" is under the command of the Public Security Forces, which reports directly to MoI. Is the "special forces department" the "Special Security Force Command?" Also, the fact that BICI distinguishes "riot control units" from "special forces" makes me think that the "riot police" are different from the SSFC. The BICI report later refers to the Ministry of Interior's "Department of Riot Police" (1316). Billmarczak (talk) 10:53, 19 January 2012 (UTC)

I can confirm that only a small minority of riot police have the SSFC mark on their jackets , in fact I only started to notice this after reading the article. I believe the author attributed SSCF to NSA because of HRW report

“ Several former detainees told Human Rights Watch that they had been arrested by Special Forces, referring to the Special Security Forces under the command of the National Security Agency (NSA). (..) Special Security Forces take persons they have arrested to one of several possible sites for pre-investigation detention, including the CID detention site in Adliya and the Manama Police Fort, which is on the grounds of the Ministry of Interior headquarters. Several former detainees told Human Rights Watch that Special Security Forces officers subjected them to torture and abuse at an NSA facility.[28] The great majority of Special Security Forces are reportedly recruited from other Arab countries and Pakistan ”

About the quotes from BICI, it's seems much more detailed and is probably more accurate, go ahead and add it. Bahraini Activist (talk) 18:37, 19 January 2012 (UTC)

I tried to close this today after creating Public Security Forces article, but I ended up in contradiction between BCHR and HRW on one side and BICI report on the other side. One thing is confirmed however, SSFC is special forces or part of it. It seems that due to the need of man power to crackdown on protests, special forces are now working hand in hand with riot forces, which is probably why the author got confused. I have found a Facebook and Twitter pages relating to SSFC and while the first displays info taken from this article, both of them have Ministry of Interior as their website and the guy running them seems to be part of or working with riot police. I'm not sure how to close this. Bahraini Activist ^{Talk to me} 16:24, 17 February 2012 (UTC)