Terror group suspects jailed for 15 years

Manama : Chief of Terror Crimes Prosecution, Advocate General Ahmed Al Hammadi, today said that the High Criminal Court had issued its verdict against 10 suspects in the case of the so-called “Hezbollah of Bahrain” terrorist group.

The court sentenced eight suspects to 15 years in jail, and an additional BD 200,000 fine for two of them. The ninth and tenth defendants were handed down three-year jail terms and fines of BD500.

The court ordered the revocation of the citizenship of the ten suspects, the Advocate-General said.

The suspects were found guilty of running, joining and funding a terrorist group, possessing firearms, attempting to murder of policemen, taking part in illegal assemblies, rioting, and possessing explosive materials.

Documents of the case indicate that the suspects, alongside others, set up a terrorist group under the name “Hizbollah of Bahrain” for the aim of carrying out multiple terrorist acts, targeting the security personnel, rioting and posting their videos on social networks carrying the name of their group to intimidate and spread panic among the citizens and inciting terror acts.

The documents presented to the court also showed that the suspects had received the necessary funding and had the required tools to support their acts of terror.

Members of the terrorist group agreed to carry out acts of sabotage without announcing the name of their organisation until the success of one of their terror acts.

On June 23, 2014, they carried the first terror act and claimed responsibility for it. Details of the act included rioting, vandalism and targeting policemen, the Advocate-General said, noting that on that day, they staged, along with others, an unauthorized rally and blocked roads to prevent the security personnel from entering Nuwaidrat village. 

Subsequently, one suspect attacked a policeman using a firearm, which resulted in damaging a security patrol.

The armed attack aimed to inflict maximum damage, and put the lives of citizens and residents at risk.

The documents presented to the court by the Public Prosecution included witness testimonies and detailed forensic evidence.

The Public Prosecution referred three suspects to the High Criminal Court and issued arrest warrant against the remaining ones.

The Advocate General confirmed that the defendants had been afforded full legal rights throughout the trial and had the right to appeal the ruling, as guaranteed by Bahraini law.