Cleric faces trial for Illegal funds

Manama : Controversial religious cleric Isa Qassim, whose Bahraini nationality was stripped off last month, has been put on trial on grounds of collecting funds illegally, the Public Prosecution announced. 

Two men, who helped him in the act, would be standing trial in the case. The trio have been charged with money laundering as well as illegal fundraising. 

They were held during an investigation launched against two local societies and a library, namely Al-Risala Islamic Society, the Islamic Enlightenment Society (Al-Taweya) and Dar Al Yaqeen Bookstore recently.  

The Public Prosecution had earlier announced that Isa Qassim’s bank account included $10,000,000 despite he stopped depositing any money in it since 2013. 

According to Prosecutors, the collected funds were used to finance overseas organisations hostile to Bahrain. In a statement issued yesterday, First Attorney General Ahmed Al Dosari said Isa Qassim’s accomplices confirmed that he had instructed them to raise funds for him. 

The duo also revealed that Isa Qassim had used some of the money for buying properties that were registered under his name. 

Al Dosari pointed out that the investigations confirmed that the defendants had violated the rules, and advanced to the level of threatening the national unity. Their trial has been scheduled for August.