Bahrain Mirror: In his first comment on his dismissal decision, Bahrain News Agency (BNA) Director-General Mohannad Sulaiman (Bahraini national of Jordanian roots) said that "professional life is stages, and every stage has an end".

Sulaiman apologized in a letter he sent to the BNA employees about his "dereliction". He said in the letter which "Bahrain Mirror" obtained a copy of "I apologize for any dereliction and for any promise I couldn't keep".

Sulaiman was dismissed from his post for calling Qatari parties before Bahrain officially announced cutting ties. Information reported that he contacted Qatari parties, likely to be Qatar News Agency, to know if they have any data about Saudi, Emirati and Bahraini trend to sever relations with Qatar.

He said in the letter he sent to his colleagues "I spent with you the best days of my life and we, all together, could move the newspaper forward".

"Thank you all for the support you offered. I will never forget it. I ask God to help us all serve our leadership and precious country," he further stated.

He added "I am sure that the future will always be better for everyone".

Information indicated that the authorities knew about the calls made by Sulaiman with the Qatari parties and that a commission was established to investigate them.

It also noted that he was summoned by a senior figure in the Information Ministry and insulted before being told about the commission decision to dismiss him.  

Sulaiman changed his title on his Twitter account into "journalist and adviser of the Information Minister".

Sulaiman, who worked with Deputy Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Mubarak, has been the director general of the news agency since 2011.

In 2011, Sulaiman headed a governmental Commission of inquiry to investigate the Information Ministry officials accused of taking part in the 14 February protests.

Arabic Version