Bahrainis' appeal rejected in Iraq militia training case

Manama : Two Bahraini convicts accused on grounds of receiving militia training in Iraq has had their appeals rejected. The duo were earlier slapped with 10 years in jail each and their citizenship has been stripped in the process. Among the defendants is a 21-year-old student, who was pursuing a bachelor’s degree. He was reportedly recruited by radical groups to carry out attacks against security forces, according to court files. 

The other defendant, aged 32, is in Iran and was tried in absentia. The fugitive is said to have convinced his co-defendant to join an extremist group called Bahraini Hezbollah, following which he sent him to Iraq to receive arms training at a militia training camp operated by the Popular Mobilisation Units.  He was also shown how to make improvised weapons in addition to weapons as well as grenades know-how. 

“I received a friendship invitation from a stranger on my BlackBerry Messenger. I accepted it and we began exchanging conversations,” the 21-year-old said in his statement. 

“I was studying in a university at that time. He told me that he was staying in Iran. He offered me to go to Iraq and receive arms training to attack police officers in Bahrain,” he said.

“He covered my travel expenses, and I was training on how to use explosives. Militants there showed me videos showcasing bombs and how to attack armoured vehicles,” he added. 

The defendant was arrested upon his arrival to Bahrain following a tip-off about his overseas activities. 

The fugitive is implicated in several other terror cases for attempting to recruit Bahrainis to join radical groups.