Bahrain deports UK journalist for covering protest rally

Bahraini authorities have deported a team of Britain's Channel 4 News for covering an anti-government protest after the completion of the Formula One race. The TV crew members were arrested on Sunday night outside the venue of the Formula One Grand Prix race in Manama. The TV's correspondent Jonathan Miller said the Bahraini forces were "very aggressive" and that they assaulted the team's local driver and an activist who travelled with them. He described the incident as "one of the most dramatic experiences" of his life. ''About 30 or 40 riot police surrounded our vehicle. They were very aggressive, they started verbally abusing the British-born Bahraini activist, Dr Ala'a Shehabi - she was with me in the back seat - and my driver, who I'll just call Ali ... they started attacking him physically and verbally. We refused to be separated from them, but eventually we were after about an hour. We were all taken down to the police station,'' Miller said. The British journalists were released hours later and driven to Bahrain airport in a police van to be deported back to the UK, but the two Bahrainis accompanying them are still in custody. Manama, however, claimed that the Channel 4 news crew was arrested for working without official accreditation. Bahrain's Interior Ministry says it will launch an investigation into the incident. Bahraini authorities arrested scores of activists and protest leaders ahead of the F1 race to avoid anti-regime demonstrations during the sporting event, Bahrain's most high-profile international event. But despite the crackdown, protest rallis against the ruling Al Khalifa dynasty intensified during the auto race. Bahrainis had repeatedly called for the cancellation of Formula One Grand Prix race in Manama, saying the regime is using the auto race to cover up human rights violations in the country.