Turki tried to recruit more young Bahrainis

Manama : The Islamic State’s (IS) ideological lodestar Turki Al Binali was handed down life imprisonment by the High Criminal Court, while 23 other men linked with the terrorist organisation were given 15 years behind bars each. 

The Bahraini nationality of 13 defendants was stripped off in the process as the others’ citizenship had been already revoked by a State-issued decree.  

Aged between 16 and 42, the defendants were charged in October last year with forming a cell of the IS group, plotting suicide attacks and recruiting fighters for it.  The defendants are said to have been plotting to carry out a suicide bombing in a local mosque. However, 16 of the suspects are still at large and they are being tried in absentia. 

The mastermind of the cell was Turki, who is believed to have recruited dozens of Bahraini youth and sent them to frontlines outside the country. The suspects also include two of Turki’s brothers (the second and third defendant). 

The second defendant reportedly travelled to Syria where he received military training and took part in hostilities before returning to the Kingdom of Bahrain. 

The second defendant,  along with the third defendant, was assigned by their brother Turki to encourage more young Bahrainis to join IS and facilitate their travel to Syria to receive militia training and fight with IS members.  

The fourteenth defendant is said to have requested the fifth defendant to carry out a terrorist attack against Shias in Bahrain because there wasn’t sufficient money to help him travel to Syria. 

They reportedly targeted the A’ali Grand Mosque in a bid to kill a large number of Shia worshipers. 

Turki was charged with establishing a branch for a terrorist organisation intended to disable the provisions of the Constitution. 

The other defendants were indicted with joining a terrorist organisation, receiving militia training, using arms, possessing weapons and explosives, participating in terrorist operations and planning to carry out terrorist attacks in Bahrain. 

Bahrain announced on October 21 last year charging 24 people with forming a cell of IS, plotting suicide attacks and recruiting fighters for the jihadist organisation. 

The move came after investigations into the formation of a “branch for a terrorist group... the so-called Daesh,” said a prosecution statement, using the Arabic acronym for the IS.