Five terror suspects to stand trial

Manama : Five men suspected of forming a terrorist group and carrying out bomb blasts in the Kingdom will stand trial after Terror Crimes Prosecution Chief Advocate General Chancellor Ahmed Al Hammadi ruled that police have gathered enough evidence against them. One of the blasts also resulted in the death of policeman Salman Anjam. 

The case will be heard by the Fourth High Criminal Court on February 20, 2018.

The five suspects, one in custody and four at large, were referred to the specialised court after being accused of organising, running, leading and joining a terrorist group, carrying out explosions, possessing explosives and weapons and training on using them, deliberate murder, attempted murder of policemen and civilians, conducting terrorist acts and damaging private properties. 

According to Criminal Investigation Directorate (CID), the first suspect, a fugitive in Iran, had recruited many elements in Bahrain and formed separate cells working under his leadership to carry out their terrorist plot in the Kingdom.

Investigations have shown that the second and third suspects, in coordination with the fourth one, who is still at large in Iran, travelled to Iran in 2011 and received a military training on making explosive devices and using fire weapons.

Investigators also found that the first suspect contacted the second one in 2017 through his brother, the fifth suspect, and asked him to join the terrorist organisation under his leadership in order to carry out terrorist acts in Bahrain. He was able to recruit him and tasked him to form a cell in Bahrain in charge of conducting his terror plot. He also tasked him to recruit other elements in Bahrain to help him. 

The second suspect was also instrumental in recruiting many elements including the third suspect. They were given explosives, firearms and money by the first suspect, who also coordinated their actions, including planting bombs targeting police vehicles. One of the suspects remotely detonated the explosive device while another one filmed the incident.

The investigation revealed that the suspects were behind the explosions which targeted a number of police vehicles, injured many policemen, civilians as well as damaged public and private properties. Investigations also revealed that the first suspect facilitated travelling to Iran for the second and third suspects in July 2017 where they received training for making advanced explosives and using fire weapons.

The Public Prosecution interrogated the second suspect whose confessions were found to be consistent with the technical pieces of evidence gathered.