Terror suspects who targeted Bahrain's Saudi Embassy on trial

Manama : Closing arguments will be heard on April 24 in the trial of 13 appellants convicted of forming a terrorist group with the intention of targeting the Saudi Embassy. 

Three defendants were earlier slapped with 15 years in prison, while the rest of them were hit with 10 years in jail. Their Bahraini citizenship, meanwhile, have been removed. Another three men were earlier accused in connection with this case, but the High Criminal Court acquitted them due to lack of evidence. 

The cell was formed by the first defendant, and was run by him along with the second and eighth defendants, according to court files. 

The ringleaders recruited their co-defendants, and several members of the cell, “Ahrar Al Qurayyah,” were said to have received explosives training. They are reportedly responsible for detonating several bombs in the areas of Tashan and Bani Jamra. Among other targets that the defendants intended to bomb was the Saudi Embassy in Bahrain, prosecutors said. 

Three police officers were injured in the attacks carried out by them, court files revealed. The third defendant told prosecutors that he was invited by his first co-defendant to join the cell, and he confessed to possessing explosives, rioting and attacking police officers with firebombs. 

The eleventh defendant, meanwhile, said that his cousin, who is living in Iran, egged him on urging people, who are living in Diraz to use explosives against the security forces. He was also shown how to make explosives by someone on BlackBerry.

He told prosecutors that he participated in detonating a bomb in Qurayyah in 2014, which caused injuries to a policeman. He also confirmed that he had forged IDs to obtain SIM cards.