Defendants get jail for terrorism

Manama : Ten defendants accused of forming a terrorist group have been sentenced to life imprisonments, while two other men implicated in the same case have been given 10 years behind the bars each. 

Moreover, all the convicted defendants have been stripped of their Bahraini citizenship for their crime. Meanwhile, the first and second defendants have been fined a combined total of BD200,000, while their eight co-defendants have been fined a combined total of BD11,900.

A total of 14 Bahraini men were put on trial in connection with the case, however, the remaining two defendants have been acquitted due to lack of evidence. 

The Bahrainis are suspected of being members of Saraya Al Ashtar (Al Ashtar Brigade), which has claimed the responsibility of several fatal terrorist attacks, including the 2013’s Al Daih bombing that killed three police officers. 

Two of the convicts, aged 26 and 39, were the ringleaders and had been accused with funding and operating the terrorist organisation. They also helped five of their co-defendants to travel to Iraq to receive militia and weapons training, according to the court documents. 

The others allegedly plotted attacks against members of the security forces in different areas including Sanabis, Meqsha, Duraz and Hamad Town. The attacks resulted in injuries to policemen along with damages caused to police and civilian vehicles, according to the prosecutors. 

Although 10 are in police custody, the ringleaders along with two men are still at large and were tried in absentia. The masterminds allegedly provided the group with explosives and assigned two people to recruit Bahrainis and carry out the attacks, according to a Public Prosecution statement issued earlier. 

The 10 in police custody were charged with joining a terrorist group, causing several explosions, possessing bombs, receiving militia training, attempted murder of policemen, assaulting officers, rioting, participating in an illegal gathering, possessing Molotov cocktails and causing damage to property belonging to others.

The terrorist cell was dismantled on June 2 and confessions of the alleged members were broadcast on Bahrain Television on June 7. 

It was discovered after the Public Prosecution received a notification from the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) that 14 members of Saraya Al Ashtar have been detected. In the aired confessions, four men accused of being part of Saraya Al Ashtar described receiving weapons and explosives training in Iraq with the aim of killing security officers in Bahrain.

The Public Prosecution relied in substantiating the charges on testimonies from evidence witnesses, the confessions of the suspects and forensic reports.

The case was deliberated at the court in the presence of the defence lawyers. The defendants were provided with all legal guarantees.