Witnesses to be heard in terror case on Jan. 24

Prosecution witnesses will be heard on January 24 in the case of 14 accused of being part of a terrorist organisation. The Bahrainis are suspected of being members in Saraya Al Ashtar (Al Ashtar Brigade), which has claimed the responsibility of several fatal terrorist attacks, including the 2013’s Al Daih bombing, which claimed the lives of three police officers. 

Two of the suspects, aged 26-year-old and 39-year-old were the ringleaders and have been accused of funding and operating the terrorist organisation. 

They have also helped five of their co-defendants to travel to Iraq to receive militia and weapons training, according to court files. 

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

Although 10 of them are in police custody, the alleged ringleaders along with two men are still at large and will be 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 last month. 

The ten men in the police custody have been 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 TV on June 7. 

It was found after the Public Prosecution received a notification from the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) that 14 members of Saraya Al Ashtar had 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.

Photo Caption: Officers carry the body of an officer killed in Al Daih bombing two years ago