Bahraini intelligence chief sacked

The London-based "Bahrain Liberal Movement" on Sunday said that former British army officer Ian (Evan Stuart) Henderson was relieved from his post as chief of Bahraini intelligence and was replaced by a member of the ruling al-Khaleifa family, Sheikh Khaled Bin Muhammad al-Khaleifa.

Henderson is accused of torturing members of the opposition in Bahrain, which has witnessed anti-government riots since 1994 that have caused the deaths of at least 38 people.

The Kenya-born officer was renowned during the 1950s in the operations that crushed Mao Mao activists who rebelled against the British white minorities in Kenya. He defeated the rebellion in 1960. In 1966 he was appointed intelligence chief in Bahrain, which remained under the British colonialism until 1971.