Bahrain Mirror: Chief of Bahrain's Anti-Terror Crime Prosecution, Attorney-General Ahmed Al-Hammadi, announced that the prosecution concluded its investigations in the case of "the formation of group for the purpose of committing terrorist acts in the kingdom, which was revealed mid last year." The prosecution ordered referring 10 suspects, seven in custody and three fugitives abroad, to court on charges of joining and running a terrorist group, possessing explosive materials and devices, firearms, and training on using them, adding that it was all for the purpose of committing terrorist activities in the Kingdom of Bahrain. A session to look into the case before the Fourth High Criminal Court is scheduled to be held on February 28, 2017.

The case was opened on July 18, 2016 when the General Directorate of Criminal Investigations and Forensic Evidence received information about the terrorist group. Further intensive investigations revealed that an individual recruited the suspects and formed a group with the purpose of committing terrorist acts in Bahrain. The individual, who later died in Iraq, coordinated with external parties to help some of the members travel to Iraq and Iran where they were trained by members of the Revolutionary Guard and the Iraqi Hezbollah on using weapons and explosives. Upon their return, they managed to receive weapons and products smuggled into Bahrain to be used in the manufacture of bombs. The group members hid the weapons and explosives in secret warehouses.

Following the issuance of search warrants by the public prosecution, the weapons and explosive-making materials and devices were found inside the homes of some of the suspects and in a cache that belonged to the group. The police said they found 511 detonators and a car used by the group members to transport the weapons and explosives. Investigators also said they found on the seized items, fingerprints that matched those of the group members as well as explanations and guidelines on forming and managing terrorist groups and on ways to recruit members and engaging in secret communications between them. The investigators further stated that the guides also explained the various types of explosives, how to make and install them and use them to blow up cars and buildings.

On a related note, investigations revealed that one of the suspects was charged in a separate case for participating in a terrorist operation by detonating an explosive device on Shaikh Jaber Al Ahmad street, near the Nuwaidrat Roundabout on June 30, 2016, which left a Bahraini woman killed. However, the case was closed after his death. He was linked to the rest of the suspects in this current case after his fingerprints were found on some of the seized items.

Arabic Version