Berlin, Apr 28, IRNA -- Bahrain's hardline Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman al Khalifa defended the continued deadly repression in his country in an exclusive interview with the Hamburg-based weekly news magazine Der Spiegel

Al Khalifa openly labeled the Bahraini protest movement a 'terrorist group.'

He dismissed criticism by international human rights groups on the continuing abuse of Bahraini protesters and opponents of government, saying these accusations were 'not legitimate.'

The Bahraini prime minister who has been in power since 1971, rejected calls for his resignation.

Al Khalifa defended also Saudi Arabia's role in last year's deadly security clampdown in his country, saying it was 'his country's right' to seek Saudi help to squash pro-freedom protests.

The top Bahraini official expressed also his strong opposition to the uprisings in Arab countries, notably Egypt, Tunisia and Libya.

'Do you think I am happy to see what has happened in all these countries? This is not an 'Arab spring.' Spring is connected with flowers, happy people and love -- not death, chaos and destruction,' the prime minister said.

Bahrain has been the scene of violent pro-democracy protests as dozens of people have been killed by Bahraini security forces since the outbreak of mass protests in the Arab country in early 2011.

International human right organizations have time and again complained that the

West has kept mum amid reports that Bahrain's Sunni-led government is waging a violent and bloody crackdown — destroying Shiite mosques, illegally detaining and torturing dissidents, attacking medical personnel to prevent them from treating wounded protesters, abusing women and girls, and expelling media representatives from the Persian Gulf kingdom.