Amnesty's condemnation comes as the Gulf nation prepares to host the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend.

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Bahrain's Gulf Air started flights to three Iraqi cities last year and will add two more by the end of 2010.

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He also knows the Persian Gulf states well, having lived in Bahrain as President of Gulf Air, a company that was partially funded by the rulers of Abu Dhabi, a city in the United Arab Emirates.

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Gulf Air officials in Cairo have said there was nothing wrong with the plane when it took off for Bahrain.

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