MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) – The discovery of a protester's body near the scene of clashes on Saturday threatened to tip Bahrain deeper into unrest as a 14-month-old uprising overshadows the return of the Formula One Grand Prix to the strategic Persian Gulf kingdom.
Bahrain's Sunni rulers had pressed for the race to be held as a chance to rebuild their credibility on the world stage after it was called off last year as police and army troops cracked down on dissent.
Persistent protests, however, have left the monarchy struggling to keep attention on Sunday's Formula One race — Bahrain's premier international event — as the country's Shiite majority pressed ahead with a campaign to break the monopoly on power by the ruling Sunni dynasty, which has close ties to the West.
At least 50 people have died in the conflict since February 2011 in the longest-running street battles of the Arab Spring.
Protesters again took their grievances to the streets nationwide Saturday after opposition groups said that a man was killed the day before during clashes with security forces. A statement by the Interior Ministry said the man who died was identified as Salah Abbas Habib Musa, 36.
"Down, Down Hamad" and "We don't want Formula One," the protesters shouted in reference to King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Confrontations between police and anti-government protesters turned violent in the Shiite opposition stronghold of Diraz, northwest of Manama. Opposition supporters set tires ablaze and riot police fired tear gas to disperse them. No injuries were reported on Saturday.
Musa's body was found in an area west of the capital, Manama, where clashes broke out after a massive protest march Friday. Opposition factions said riot police and demonstrators were engaged in running skirmishes around Shakhura, a village about five miles (10 kilometers) west of the capital Manama that is known for its burial mounds dating back more than 5,000 years.
Musa's death threatened to sharply escalate tensions in the island nation, which is home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet. Opposition leaders claimed Musa was targeted by the security forces because he was a prominent activist in the opposition February 14 movement, which has been the driving force of Bahrain's Shiite revolt.
Authorities opened an investigation in a bid to defuse tensions. The Interior Ministry said the case was "being treated as a homicide." It did not give a cause of death but said investigators found "a wound" on the left side of Musa's body.
After the announcement, thousands marched on a main highway leading out of the capital. The heavily guarded Bahrain International Circuit, where the F1 teams have practiced ahead of Sunday's race, was about 20 miles (15 kilometers) away from the demonstration.
Race drivers have mostly kept quiet about the controversy surrounding the Bahrain GP.
Asked about Musa's death after taking pole position in Saturday's qualifier, F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel said, "I think it's always dreadful if someone dies."
Bahraini anti-regime protesters, one carrying a national flag, react to tear gas fired by riot police Saturday in Diraz, Bahrain, west of the capital of Manama.
