Bahrain court reduced rioters jail term

Manama: The Supreme Appeals Court reduced the jail terms of 14 appellants convicted in connection with a riot case. Some of them were earlier sentenced to 15 years in prison, while the others were given 10 years behind bars. 

The Supreme Appeals Court handed down them sentences ranging between five years and 10 years in prison. The defendants are implicated in the case of setting the security booth of Sitra Post Office on fire.  

The booth was occupied by a security officer during the attack. He suffered burn wounds in the attack. The defendants were said to have been among the group of rioters, who carried out the assault using petrol bombs. 

The saboteurs reportedly also pelted Molotov cocktails at the police officers, who arrived at the scene.  The injured security officer was admitted to hospital, and he fully recovered, according to court files.  

Although all the protesters had fled the scene, detectives managed to identify the suspects. One of them later led police to a cache, where tools used in riots, and improvised shotguns as well as two masks were stashed in it. 

The defendants were charged with premeditated attempted murder, putting lives and properties in danger, possessing flammables and rioting.